


If it where different

by SugerCat



Category: Ice Age (Movies)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anthropomorphic, Bisexual Male Character, F/M, Female Friendship, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Titles, Inspired by Zootopia (2016), Male Friendship, Older Man/Younger Woman, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-25
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2018-09-19 21:15:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 105,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9460679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugerCat/pseuds/SugerCat
Summary: Another Zootopia inspired story.So the herd lives this time in a city..





	1. The Beginning

Diego stared at the small open box which presented a ring. He still couldn’t quite believe what he wanted to do. The idea came to him a year before in the head but again and again he had backed out. Constantly going through the advantages and disadvantages in his mind. Last month he has finally found the right jeweler of which had what he wanted. After all, he doesn’t want to give any a ring to his girlfriend. But until now there was still no suitable moment in which he could hand it over. In addition, he was constantly nervous when he thought about doing it. At the end he put the box always back into his pocket.

"Hey, let's see." Abruptly grabbed sloth paws after the box and he closed it hastily again.

“Don’t touch it, Sid!"

"Oh come on." Wailed the other but the saber-toothed packed his gift finally away before he pushed the other of his desk.

"What are you doing here anyway? Except from hiding from work, of course." Caught Sid tried immediately to talk himself out.

“I hide myself from nothing. Also I have earned my breaks after the long hard work.”

“You only distribute... Oh you know what? I just don’t care."

“And you? Are you going to a certain woman today and ask the big question.” The smaller one grinned and nudged his buddy with his elbow in the side.

“I planned a nice evening with Shira and if everything will work out, she might say yes."

"Maybe? Of course she will say yes." Now said a young mammoth behind the two men and they turned around.

"Peaches? What are you doing here?" Diego inquired first, wondering why nobody could knock at his office here.

"I was nearby and I thought I say hello. Anyway, you're long overdue to ask this question, uncle Diego."

"For sure?"

"You two know each other for eight years now and six of them you are officially a couple. I’m surprised that she hasn’t asked you until now." The saber-toothed smiled and nodded then.

“And if she says yes I throw a big bachelor farewell party for you." Then Sid made a gesture so that the other knew he should bow briefly down to him. Sighing, the saber-toothed even did so.

"That will be one of the parties where the ladies take off their clothes, if you know what I mean." The smaller one was grinning again and Peaches just rolled her eyes then she understood everything because her uncle doesn’t master whispering.

"First of all I should bring tonight behind me before you can plan something." Said Diego and turned back to the woman in his office.

“And what can we expect from you soon? You are also entering into the bonds of marriage?" Sid cut of his buddy and this was a bit annoyed about it.

"I? Well.." But Peaches doesn’t get to finish her sentence because there came already the next animal in the room.

“She definitely will not get married so soon." Told Manny convinced, because he wouldn’t let it happen that his only child spends the rest of her life with such an idiot. In addition, his girl is only 23 years old. At that age she shouldn’t even think of something like that.

"Dad!" Complained the younger mammoth and gave her father shortly an angry look. But in the end he was right because she would never want to marry her current boyfriend. They were together for two years now and slowly she asked herself if she had wasted her time. She has met him via chat and because he was working abroad. For one year, they led then a long-distance relationship and when he rented a flat here in the city, she was overjoyed. But unfortunately that doesn’t last long because somehow it was no longer the same if they could see each other when they want. She thought at first that she had to get used to everything. But as much as she tried, and that lasted months, it wouldn’t work out. It also doesn’t help here that he's a good-looking mammoth.

"What are you doing here?" Now asked her father and brought her back to reality.

“Because I was near I wanted to say that maybe I can’t come to dinner this evening."

"But your mother would be.." Manfred was now cut in the words.

"Yes, I'll be disappointed. You weren’t with us for so long and I want to cook your favorite food." Ellie came in the round now.

“Mum what are you doing here?"

"Your father has 'cleaned up' the closet in the hallway with your mother." Answered Sid with quotes in the air at cleaned up.

“Sid! It’s the best you go back to your place. One can see you haven’t enough work to do." Vigorously pushed the oldest mammoth his pal to the door and closed it then.

"What? I didn’t say that you..."

"Just go away, Sid!" Roared Manny still out before he continued the conversation in the room.

"So now explain why you can’t even visit your parents for dinner once in a month. Has this guy forbidden it?"

"Dad I let him forbid nothing. That goes for you too. If I want to marry then I do that."

"What, you want to marry?" Mingled in her mother now because she knew how the relationship of her daughter is.

"No. But Dad thinks... Whatever, I don’t have time for long discussions. Anyway, I can’t come to dinner because I have to pick up Louis today."

"Is this year finally over?" Wanted Ellie pleased to know because the little one left here to collect experience in his profession as an archaeologist. She knew him since he and Peaches went to the same kindergarten. Thus, she was also happy to see him again.

"Yes, and that's why I wanted to buy some things that he doesn’t have to cook for himself if he is so exhausted from the flight."

"Why don’t you just come with him to us?"

"But Mum, what if.."

"Oh come on. If it’s going too late, then you two can sleep in the attic." Manfred wanted to step in but his daughter was faster.

"All right. But you get ready for a call with a cancellation. I can understand if he has no desire to drive around after his arrival. Now I really must go." So the young mammoth disappeared quickly and the oldest one looked angry at his wife now.

“Ellie, you can’t offer them to sleep in the attic. We've got just one guest bed there and the two are no longer children." But the addressed animal grinned at him.

"Have you heard an objection from her?" The mother inquired mischievously and Manny sighed.

"She probably doesn’t really realized the whole thing." Then he looked around at his buddy to ask after his opinion but this looked a little worried out of the window.

"Hey Diego? What's happening? You’re not getting cold feet about tonight?"

"Well, to be honest a little." He admitted and sighed heavily. But Manny took his pal playful in a headlock. At such moments, men had to stand together.

"Take it easy. If she says no, we can go for a drink in the tavern."

"Very encouragingly." Ellie pulled her husband away from the saber-toothed.

"No matter what she will say we are definitely there for you." Now he has to smile at his friends and wondered why he actually had so many thoughts about it. When Shira should say no then she still will not leave him. At least he hoped so.

"Thanks, guys."

* * *

 

In another part of the city, a possum was bored to death. Although it was dry outside but the wind blew icy through the streets. That's why this and the store remained empty here.  
It was a gift and novelty jokes store. Eddie and Crash operated the store since they are moved with Ellie and the rest of the family here. When they had come to this city, the brothers decided to live no longer with Ellie and the rest together, because in on the long run it was too cramped. So it happened that they have opened this shop here, which conveniently had an apartment above.

Because today showed no customers up, he would like to go up and turn the telly on but he has promised to his brother to stay here. So here he was at the bar and looked either at the latest comics or like now at magazines with scantily dressed women. Of course he has disguised the magazine with one of science.

“So you like girls who look like that." Said suddenly a voice behind him offended and he almost has a heart attack.

"How did you get in here and what are you doing here anyway? If my brother sees you..”

"Now calm down."

"Haven’t I explicitly told you not to come here?" She folded her arms on that.

"What shall I do otherwise when I miss you and want to see you? You never visit me."

"We have talked about that." Said Eddie and packed his magazine away.

"We? You have given me orders. I haven’t seen you for almost a month now." With big sad eyes she looked at the other one.

"Haven’t you missed me a bit?" How he hated it when she does that. Eddie doesn’t know why but he doesn’t like it to see her sad.

"Maybe a little." He told her and she took that as an invitation to be allowed to hug him. A little annoyed, he patted her head. If she grows even further he couldn’t even reach there. She is much younger than him, yet almost a head taller.

“So that's enough. You should go now before my brother shows up." He pushed the girl in a hurry to the door.

"And kiss?"

"I don’t reward you that you just appeared unannounced here." He gave her a little push and so she was standing outside of the locked door. She gave him a glare and held out her tongue before she strode away. He rolled his eyes and then shrugged. Eddie wondered what she found so interesting about him that she came to him again and again. On the one paw he wanted to get rid of her but on the other he doesn’t have the heart to hurt her. Thus, he simply waited until she met someone at her age and then forgot about him.

Slowly, he also wondered where his brother remained because this wanted to stay away only one hour but the clock on the wall showed that it was almost three. He would just wait for him until six pm and then he could close the store.

* * *

 

Sometime later, Peaches was with her car at the airport. She was kind of excited. A year has passed already since Louis has taken off from here and left the country. Of course, they have regularly phoned and written messages. But she held herself back well because she doesn’t want to annoy him in his work. So here and there came a time when they don’t have spoken to each other for two or three weeks. But now all that comes to an end and he would stay here again.

There were so many things she wanted to tell and hear from him. That's why she also hoped that he would decline the invitation to her parents. Was it too much to ask him that only the two of them would spend time on the first night? Maybe. But who wouldn’t do that if someone sees the best friend after such a long time again?

She quickly ran into the building to not to miss him. Watchful she looked around for Louis then this couldn’t tell her when he would arrive here. He said there was still a project that must be completed. Thus, he would call during the evening when his plane arrives here. But Peaches doesn’t want to wait and sit around at home in her apartment.

Nathan must work the whole weekend so she doesn’t tell him what she was doing today. Her boyfriend simply wasn’t interested very much for other fellow animal beings. If she was honest then she also knew very little about his friends.

He will call me back if something is the matter, thought the young woman and kept looking out for the next aspiring archaeologists. On the one hand, she thought it was great that this gets a chance to realize his dreams but then she knew already that it will not be the last time he traveled. With this job, you had to go to specific places in the world to be successful. In their city, wasn't that much to excavate or explore.

When she couldn't find him after half an hour, she just sat down on a bench on the side. Her height was indeed great for looking out, but that doesn't help when the respondent hasn't arrived yet. Maybe she should have waited at her home for him. Because if she has still to sit two or three hours here, then that would be boring. Yet she sat there to watch airplanes and other animal. She also saw a few couples and was a little jealous.

Nathan is actually an attractive mammoth. Also he is a good boyfriend, but he would never react so romantic if they haven't seen each other in a while. He couldn't even act like that if Peaches had prepared everything herself in an evening. His character was so different since they can meet. In it's early days, he wrote such beautiful messages and also often said how he felt. Today it was rather a riddle for her. But she also wouldn't leave him because she doesn't know quite whether it was really him or her. All friends she knew from the past have a relationship or children already.

That was an issue which she wishes to discuss with Louis, but not today on his first day here. Finally, after a tiring flight, he has certainly better things to do than listen to her whining. Nevertheless he is the only one who has always been a good listener to her problems.

"I said call you when I'm here. How long were you waiting?" Surprised, she looked up and not just because she noticed only now that she has turned her eyes to the ground. There he stood and looked waiting at her. For some reason she couldn't answer, but checked him from top to bottom. He still looked like a year ago. Well, almost. The hairs were placed backwards, he wore more summery clothes. So she could see his muscular arms. Exactly at the same moment she wondered since how long Louis heaved weights.

"Peaches?" The smaller one pushed his sunglasses up and now she could see his eyes.

“I, uh take something from you, yes. For a moment I was just irritated if you are still you." She explained to him and grabbed one of the things which he wore before she got up to walk out again.

"I don't look so different now." He said, scratching nervously his head. Then he hasn't compared himself photos of him from a year ago. Yes, perhaps he needed a haircut, but otherwise he could fix the rest with a shower.

“Was the flight very tiring? Do you want to rest at home with me? I also cook you something you want." He grinned and would actually like it, but he also doesn't want to be rude to Peaches mother.

"But your mum already sent me an email." He told her and he could hear a annoyed groan.

"Say that you haven't agreed to it yet?" She played bugged and pleaded to him as they stood before her car.

"But I have. Also, I don't know if I will have time to eat with your family again soon."

"What do you mean with that?" She asked when they had all his belongings stowed in the luggage space and then both stepped in at the front.

“Although I was away to get experience for one year, but I must bring me up to date here again. That could take a while, so I wanted to enjoy this evening still without work.” A little was Peaches offended that he doesn't want to spend the time with her alone. She also thought it was stupid that he doesn't want to do anything with her soon. But she could hardly talk into his work and so she just nodded understandingly. When he closed the door of the car on his side, she took the initiative and pulled him close to embrace him. She doesn't know why she did it. Perhaps a triggered impulse, because she really missed him.

Even Louis was a little terrified because he also hasn't expected it but he was happy that it happened and returned the hug.

"I'm glad that you're arrived healthy here again." She whispered softly and doesn't want to let go of him for some strange reason. But did it then, because they couldn't stand forever on the car park.

"Me too." Said the other, just as quietly and buckled up as she let go of him. As she sat the car in motion in silence, he tried not to think about how fast his heart was beating with excitement just now. He could still control himself when he lay his eyes on her after such a long time, but when the mammoth then embraced him, he wasn't sure whether to be happy or unhappy. After all, he wanted to use the long year also to forget his love for the girl next to him. Finally, it has been clear for long that they just can be friends. That happened just showed him that it hasn't worked. His exgirlfriend was right after all when she said he was a hopeless case.

* * *

 

"Diego, can we go now?" The silver gray tigress doesn't understand what was wrong with the man today. If she doesn't knew it better, then she would tell he was nervous about something. Yet their weekly dinner was fairly routine. Because of the work they sometimes see each other not very often in the week and so they make the best of it on the weekends. This often started on Friday night in which they go out to eat somewhere. She has chosen the place this time because they always alternated. Nevertheless with time they had seen all the restaurants, takeaways and other stores in the city.

But that wasn't the point here. Diego was actually the calm and serene type. She rarely saw him uncontrollably or nervous like today.

"Would you still like to go somewhere else or should we immediately drive to our apartment?" She smiled at him briefly as he held the door open for her at the entrance. It wasn't very cold, because the summer came slowly towards them. The sky was clear that night and she could see the stars.

“What do you think if we go for a walk here?" The saber-tooth checked repeatedly whether the small box still lingered in his suit. He knew that this thing wouldn't jump out but it would be so uncomfortable when he falls to his knees and the ring couldn't be found. He answers her with a nod and she came automatically closer to hook her arm with his.

In the past she never has thought that her life would become like this. Back when she was still working for Captain Gutt, she believed that she needed no one at her side. She had work and that was enough for her. Even though this wasn't always very clean and considerate.

Her former employer fished her from the street as she had no one. He saw her potential that he only wanted to take advantage of. She realized that only when Diego crossed their way with his friends and the company. If that wouldn't happened, then she might not be alive anymore today. Because the jobs which she did at that time, were not always harmless. Stealing things from people with power has always attracted consequences.

But the man next to her believed that she wouldn't have to do all that anymore. That her life could change if she wanted it. She wasn't sure until today what it was that she had easy betrayed Captain Gutt thereafter. Maybe she wanted in the subconscious really get out of this chaos.

While Diego was a saber-tooth, he was very different from the others. He was gentle and patient. It surprised her much that he demanded nothing of her as they had the whole thing behind them. She was so used to it if someone did something for her they always want something in return. However, he offered her only the friendship and said he would always help her when it was needed. Since then he was always there for her and even if she knew that he doesn't demand it, she began to flirt with him.

She had never believed in something like love, but with him she just felt safe. So she did everything that he would stay with her. That was in retrospect selfish, but now after all these years of being together she felt something for him as well.

Of course, their relationship wasn't always easy, because they were the only carnivores in a city full of vegetarians. Usually they couldn't be here, but they had been given an extra residence permits as they moved with their friends to this place.

Friends. This was also a matter of which she thought that she would never have it. However when she has a little time in the week she meets Ellie for lunch. At first she started that only because she wanted to know more about Diego but over time the mammoth mother has become her best friend. To the holidays in the year, they always all came together to celebrate.  
She doesn't know whether could be even happier. Well actually there was one thing she should talk about with Diego. But that still had time. Because she doesn't want to destroy this nice evening now.

"What are you thinking?" So she was brought out of her thoughts and looked into the face of the other.

“Nothing special. Why?" She noted that he was really nervous and wondered again what was wrong with him today. However he grabbed with his free arm in his suit and held suddenly a small box out to her. A little taken aback she looked motionless on it and he pulled himself entirely from her before he went to his knees. She looked around and realized that Diego has used the moment because no one else was here now.

"Shira, we both know.." But she spoke just in between.

"Yes."

"You have to let me finish it. Otherwise you don't know...Did you just said yes?” Now he looked at her confused and saw that she smiled at him lovingly.

"Yes. I did." So a little shaky, he took her paw and slid the ring on it. Then he stood up hastily to take her gladly close in his arms. For a while they just stood there like this. Closely entwined.

“Were you so nervous the whole evening because of that? Have you thought I would say no?" Whispered the silver-gray tigress in the ear of her fiance. Embarrassed he looked to the other side because he knew that she couldn't see it. But she moved away a little from him to to look exactly at his face.

"Well, not directly. It could have just be the case that you don't want a marriage." He still looked to the side.

“Why didn't you came to me earlier? I mean the ring is beautiful, but we could also have talked about it before."

"How do you even begin such a subject without having a ring in the pocket? We talk about it now and you can change your opinion about it any time.” She smiled and then kissed him without a warning. Of course, the saber-toothed tiger wasn't averse to it, but when she also showed a little more physical effort, he pushed her away. He did so in order to breathe properly again.

"Did someone already has enough?" She teased him as she started wandering with her paws on his body.

"No." But when Shira arrived at his waistband, he stopped her.

“But we should save us more for later.”

"Killjoy." She said only and thus turned away from him.

* * *

"I'm sorry that my mum was so curious." Apologized Peaches when she got into the car to drive her friend home.

“Nonsense, I already knew beforehand what I was getting myself into. Moreover, it was a nice evening.” Said the molehog when he jumped into the passenger seat.

“You really haven't changed. Besides that you got yourself a few muscles. I wonder..” But Louis shoved the third animal in the car back away from him.

“Stop that. You know as an archaeologist you don't only rummage around in the dirt." The skunk girl that sat behind smirked.

“No matter where the muscles come from, I'm sure it's a eye-catcher for the Ladies." He sighed annoyed, but couldn't help to look briefly to the driver. This was of course busy to watch the street. But then he shakes his head. Finally, he will soon have plenty of work, there wasn't the time to sink into self-pity.

"I'll bring this up with you." Meant the mammoth, as they arrived at the building where his home was. Louis wanted indeed to hinder the taller one but she was faster as they took the things out of the luggage space. When they were here earlier, he doesn't want that one of them had to walk up again, so he took only the important things up.

“You really don't need to." Ruby, the skunk in the back of the car, sighed annoyed because the two not even noticed that they behaved like a married couple. The skunk has held herself out always so far because until now both were constantly in a relationship with others. Now that Louis is single and it's not going so well with Peaches current boyfriend, she wanted finally to try to bring together the two. Well, she would also do it out of boredom and to distract herself a little from her own problems.

In her eyes the whole life wasn't fair. Slowly she is old enough. Her mother always tried to play cool, but she doesn't understand a lot. Although the young skunk could have guessed that it isn't simple to raise a child alone. Ruby doesn't know much about her father, only that he died when she was still a baby. Slowly she doubted if that was really the truth. Finally, her mother could tell her a bit about him.

She thought back as she wanted to run away for the first time to look for her father. At that time she was twelve. Ruby always thought that she could do many things alone. But then she got lost in the city, which she should really know. Because her mother always wanted to protect her and even pick her up from school, she doesn't know much about the outside world.

Fortunately, there was someone on the way who could help her further. Now she is embarrassed for it, then she just cried like a toddler. But the molehog with the glasses still couldn't just let her stand in the dark. He took her by the paw and made sure that she could find her mother right away. Although Ruby wanted to run away, she was happy to be back at home. The molehog, named Louis, said that she should be more careful next time.

That evening he looked so cool that she slightly fell in love with the boy. The girls at school often talked about some guys but she was never interested in that. But her savior was different. Nice. Clever. What needs a girl more? And so she skipped a day of school and ran again to the place where she was found by the molehog for the first time. It wasn't long and Louis came by again.

Somehow he doesn't seem so cheerful as when he brought her home that other night. Nevertheless, she followed him to his apartment.

Now she could only roll the eyes about what she has done then. Strangely, the molehog doesn't rejected her completely. He even offered her mother to look out for her every now and then. Probably he knew even then that her mother sometimes needed a break from parenting.

So great the dream was, it doesn't last long enough. Because Louis was already in love with someone else. What shocked her even more was that the chosen one don't replied the love. Also the girl is a mammoth. She has peachy fur and answered on the name Peaches.

By the time she and her mother got to know the family of the mammoth as well. It's nice sometimes to see her mother with friends and not so stressed. Not only that, her mother began get along very well with an uncle of Peaches. This is strangely a possum.

Somehow she found it funny then, that so many different animals are friends. Her mother was skeptical when she heard that this includes saber tooth tigers but she soon learned that the two are also ok.

Even if their families met each other from time to time, nevertheless the relationship between her mother and the possum Crash didn't last long. But they still see each other sometimes. They flirt with each other for fun and make also other things. Than Ruby wasn't blind and no longer a child.

Since Crash went in and out of their home, he sometimes brought his brother Eddie with him.

In the past he always did like he was annoyed when he has to play the nanny. Nevertheless, he never said no when her mother asked him to take care of her.

She wondered if that possum liked her mother too? She never wanted to find it out.

Of course she tried occasionally to spend time with Louis, to make it clear to him that he has deserved something better than Peaches. But she only pushed him to look for a molehog girl. And she was a pretty thing. Even Peaches family was surprised.

But also that relationship didn't last long. And she wasn't really interested in that matter at that time.

Ruby always wondered where Louis family was, finally he very rarely told something about himself. But the peach colored mammoth who is his best friend, doesn't seem to be bothered by this. She accepted the prickly one as he is. Somehow that was enviable and she also wanted to be like that a little. So she can fall in love with the right animal the next time.

But the life meant it apparently not well with her as the years passed like in flight and now she was almost eighteen. Nevertheless, nothing would go as she planned it. She often quarreled with her mother. She couldn't bring herself to care about school since teachers and students are just idiots there. And the tip of the iceberg is that she started to like someone she actually shouldn't like in that way. What does she do wrong?

When she looked at her phone, she noted that there still was no new text of a certain guy. She only writes the word idiot in capital letters and hit send.

The other two were already walking up the stairs.

“You had a long day behind you and I can at least help you a bit." The molehog therefore doesn't resist further and let her do it. On the way up to his apartment, both chatted a little about what they were up to in the coming week. Louis found it nice to hear that his friend was happy. With her parents she doesn't talked much about her boyfriend but now she mentioned him briefly and that all is going well. Even at work she was lucky and everything is ok.

Peaches also said she wishes he soon finds a girl that fits so well with him too. Yet she also meant that it wouldn't be that bad if it doesn't happen soon. She would be always be there for him. Louis knew that it was meant as purely friendship but such moments were the reason why he should plunge himself into the work for the next time.

“You really have something to look forward. But you have to promise me that you don't over work yourself. First of all get again used in the course of events here." He sighed than in a way she was right, but easy going and slow doesn't finish his duties.

"At least I can promise you..."

“Not to be back home on time?" Spoke suddenly another voice between. The two friends don't noticed until now that they already arrived at the apartment, but they weren't the only ones here.

“What are you doing here?" Welcomed Louis another girl a little irritated. Because he wasn't really prepared for visitors of this kind.

“Your mother told me that you would come back today and so I thought I'll visit you again. After all, we are a family.” Peaches could only stare a little shocked at her and that what she has in her arms.

“Couldn't you have called me first? Then I might have been here earlier. Or would have said that I don't have time for it." Gave Louis annoyed out and opened up his flat. The mammoth put the bags she was carrying into the hall before she again marched hastily out.

"I see that you have things to do, so I don't want to disturb you any longer." So she took quickly back the way down. This was just too weird to stand there. Ruby, who was now sitting in front in the passenger seat, looked puzzled at her as she got into the car.

“What was going on up there? You look like as if you had seen something incredible." Meant the skunk half amused and made a bubble with the chewing gum.

"Louis has a child." Pop and the gum stuck a little in her face but then she began to laugh.

“With that joke you got me for real. As if he ever.."

“If you like, you can even go up and convince yourself. There is a pretty girl with a baby in her arms." As serious as the older one told that, Ruby has to believe her. That doesn't make any sense. She knew for one hundred percent that Louis was still in love with Peaches. Of course he had here and there a girlfriend but with his last he broke up about a year ago. Actually, it looked like as if it was going out well for him, but then he suddenly left that girl. Probably because of this trip, but Louis never mentioned the exact reason.

"Was that his ex girlfriend?"

"What? I don't know. I've never met her." The taller one was a little sad that her best friend hasn't told her that he had become a father. They usually share everything with each other.

"How old was the child?"

“With molehogs I'm not so good to estimate that, but it can't be older than two months."

“It must be older, otherwise with the procreation isn't something right. She must be from around here if she shows up now. Maybe a slip-up in a one-night stand.” Although the skunk doesn't really believe in that but he has a child now. There you got a whole new perspective on someone.

"Louis isn't the type for something like that."

"How do you know that? He's just a guy and will also not tell you everything. Otherwise you would have known that he has his own family now.” Peaches doesn't answered to that and also drove Ruby home before she went to her apartment, which she shared with her boyfriend.

It was just all so unexpected and she doesn't want to admit that now her best friend has to look after a child. If he has a wife and a child now, there she couldn't just show up as often as before on his door. She always told herself that she only did it so that he isn't alone. Yet Peaches was the one who despite boyfriend felt lonely for the last year.

First he wanted only be there for his work and suddenly he has a wife and a baby on his side. It was oddly hard for her to see Louis as a father of a family. Not that he wouldn't be good at that but in her mind the future was somehow different. Nevertheless, the skunk was also right, best friend or not, he doesn't have to tell her everything.

It made her a little sad again. So she decided to take a shower and then go to bed. Tomorrow will everything surely look better again.


	2. Bored, News, Shopping And Also Shopping

Eddie yawned once heartily before he unlocked the shop door. He hoped that a certain animal would spare him because he had something to do today. Something in which he really doesn't want to be disturbed. But first his brother had to reappear. Since they had the store, it wasn't really like him to stay out all night. A little he was himself even a bit worried. Finally, it wasn't so safe out there anymore.

But when he saw to the front door and spotted somebody in a shaky state, he knew it wasn't worth to worry. The other had apparently fun while he waited here. Typically, but he would also like to go out and have fun again. But lately nothing seems to work the way he imagined it. Tonight must be different, otherwise he's going insane.

"Dude, where have you been all night?" So he inquired a little annoyed, because the other should notice that such things aren't fine. It interested Eddie never really what his brother did but he could only run the shop alone when few customers are there. That's not always the case. In addition, it can't be that they both work here, but only one throws the money out for drinking deposits or other stuff.

“At first I was at such a conference. You know, to make the store a bit better. The whole listening would still have been ok, but there was a guy who knew everything better."

“And then you went with him on the lash? You stink." It would be pointless to deny that, but he wasn't banned from alcohol.

"Never. But it seemed as if some of his friends found my ideas quite well and so they invited me. It would have been rude to say no.” Meant Crash and doesn't understand what was so bad about going out sometimes. Finally, they couldn't spend day and night only at this place.

"Maybe. But you don't need to exaggerate it every time. Go up to shower." The other possum rolled his eyes but then did just that. He also refrained from saying to his brother that this more and more sounded like her mother or Ellie.

When he walked out of the bathroom, freshly showered, he thought about what is going on with his brother lately. Because this is got more seriously in his opinion.

"Maybe it's just because he hasn't seen a wife for a long time." Said Crash to himself, as he looked in the refrigerator. This course offered not much, since none of them went shopping. Back when they still lived with her sister together, there was always something to eat at home. Now they've been living here for several years and yet they both can't do simply housework.

Maybe they should get a housemaid. He grins to himself as he thought that this would then get a nice outfit. Now that he thought exactly on the subject, it's also a long time since he let off steam with someone. He should have taken his chance last night because in this bar were both men as well as women. It could also be better that he doesn't have annoyed anyone. Because his head was already aching a little and he couldn't really remember where he slept. He just hoped that he doesn't made anything stupid during the blackout. Because if his brother wasn't there with something he rarely managed to box himself out of story's. But until now nothing strange happened on the way home. Nor he got strange messages on his phone.

"Wait a moment! Where is that thing, anyway?" But it wasn't important now. As he put on fresh clothes, he thought about pushing his brother on the road tonight. This allows them both to be among animals again. Finally, today is Saturday, there they had to keep the store open only until noon.

But when he found the way down his mood changed quickly. Because his phone was by his brother at the counter. That's why he couldn't find it above. Ok, he hasn't really felt like to search for it. The thing partly doesn't mattered to him anymore when he saw that the dumb guy from yesterday just walked out of their door. It was good that he doesn't met this guy himself again. Otherwise he would have told him soberly, how stupid he is.

"Do we have left something?" Said Eddie but still looked through the glass of the door.

"I haven't noticed that at all." Crash stood before the other possum, so this must look at him.

“You're lucky that such a nice young man was there and brought it to you." The other made a gesture as if he had to throw up.

"Nice? That's been the odd guy from this conference. Certainly he has done something with the phone." Immediately he looked to see if something was wrong with the thing.

"I found him really nice and handsome."

"Do you see? There we have the proof that the guy is an idiot." The other just looked at him clueless.

“Every time you go out with men it turns out afterwards that they are stupid. Stay with the women. Since there you have at least some talent in choosing." If you knew, Eddie thought and just rolled his eyes annoyed about the matter. Then he probably will not mention that he got the number of the 'idiot'. Actually it was meant for Crash because the guy took him at first for the other possum. But that doesn't last. Eddie wondered if the conference participants had his eye on his brother or this guy really wanted only talk about topics like management. More he will find out later if he should decide to use the number himself.

He shook these thoughts off for now and brought a little tidiness in the store, while his brother reads the newspaper from today. Or at least this explained funny things from it. The morning was actually pretty quickly over and there were even some customers who still needed something for the weekend. This brought even a little extra money.

“Ellie was asking if we come for lunch tomorrow." Told Crash his brother as they had a sandwich. That was the last their kitchen just could give away.

“We have to go. I want to hear it whether Diego will soon be handcuffed."

“I would never have done this. I mean Shira doesn't seem bothered to continue to live unmarried with him." Eddie grinned slightly.

"Eventually we also fall in love with someone and know what it's like to want to never let go of the other. Day and night only thinking of one animal even if this isn't there.” Both looked briefly seriously at each other but then they began laughing almost at the same time. Finally, both don't believe in such things. Even when Ellie repeatedly claimed that they both will meet the love of their life one day, it sounded ridiculous every time. In addition, they weren't the types for good relationships. They are brothers, permanent single but that still doesn't meant they land here and there not with someone in the bed. Crash found that their life doesn't have necessarily to be better. It's good as it is. That meant when he won often the games they play to decide who does the housework such as shopping.

“You cheating yet again!" Grumbled Eddie but that doesn't mattered anymore when he saw something strange out there.

“Say doesn't Peaches mentioned that Wiener eventually comes back?"

“I even think that was yesterday or today. I'm not sure. Why do you ask?"

“Crash followed the gaze of his brother and then saw a molehog with a stroller. But he saw him only from behind so it could really be anyone. Moreover, what should do Wiener with a child, this also doesn't knew how to keep a woman at his side.

“It's not him. Before he manages to get a child he more likely says that he is gay. Dude, that's Louis!" He explained then a little shocked when the observed one turned to them and even came up to their shop.

"I thought he was in foreign countries learn stuff about digging and not about women. Wiener always was like the reasonable one but then you leave him alone for a year, he has a child.” Meant Eddie and shook played disappointed his head as the boy opened the door.

"Hey guys. I know we haven't seen us... Um, is something wrong?" The possums saw between the two molehogs back and forth as would it change anything.

"It's as if he had gone out of the door as a boy yesterday and now he comes back as a man and father." Sniffed Crash and held a handkerchief to his nose.

“Time goes by so fast and the children become adults." The brother got also in the theater the other was doing. The molehog looked as if he already regretted that he has come in here. Actually, he just wanted a magazine which his new roommate asked for. He thought to himself, he still gave polite hello to the possums. After all he hasn't seen them for a year. Now that he was standing here, he wondered why he thought that time had changed something. Idiots remain idiots.

"Could you maybe stop? I just want quickly to take something and then I'll disappear before you make the girl cry.”

“It's all right. It probably makes you humorless when you have to watch over a child." The last sentence said Eddie rather to his brother. This nodded understandingly.

"Well, you should have thought about it before you got yourself something like that.” Penetrable they looked at the molehog, then of course they wanted to know who the mother is.

“What? She just stood in front of my door. There I couldn't just say no. Ah here, I have what I wanted." Thus money has been put down and Louis disappeared in a hurry out again. He might be able to endure the brothers, if he had been alone. But now he doesn't felt like it. He still had to do so much, because he was up all night to care for the baby.

But he is sure to thank his mother for that. Oh what did he delude himself for because his parents could never take his life decision seriously. If it were up to them, he would be married already and had at least two kids. Yes, his kind tends to get faster offspring than other animals. Nevertheless, this doesn't meant that he must be a husband and father. No definitely not. At least not like this.

Perhaps that is why couldn't hold relationships, because he also internally struggled against to do this step sometime. Well, by his last girlfriend that wasn't really the case, but he had to try to make it better next time.

But for this he has first to lead a normal life. That meant doing his job and then see if he gets to know someone nice here and there again. Which will be difficult as long as he has two new roommates. And the most annoying person wasn't the baby. The little girl was really a sweetheart and the mother doesn't know how good she has it. But he couldn't change anything and he would certainly not take care of the child forever.

* * *

 

"Are you sure that you feel better now?" Diego was worried because his girlfriend never had a attack of weakness. She always took a good care of herself and otherwise she is a very strong woman. Therefore the situation made him a little panicked. He was glad that he decided earlier to get up. Otherwise he wouldn't have noticed it.

"Diego, I'm fine. Really." She tried to reassure him but of course she felt a little uncomfortable. Probably that was only because she hasn't eaten while it was almost noon. Just to lie in bed with him on Saturday can be so beautiful but in the future she would have to refrain from that for a while. At least she should chose to get up to take a small snack. But she wasn't a animal which simply can lie down again when she was once up and awake.

Also she thought if she should confess her little secret to him today. Now don't seem to be the right moment. She also had the feeling that he had still to digest that she said yes yesterday. No one could have said just no to his facial expressions.

“We should both get some breakfast. Then I'll feel better.” She added. He nodded only to that. Actually he wanted to say something, but he doesn't want to destroy their time together with a perhaps pointless discussion.

So they sat in the kitchen at their small table and enjoyed the sun shining through the window. Diego was still worried about the health of his partner but when she sat there he noticed something else. Either it was just an illusion but something was really different about his girlfriend. Yes, she now wears a ring from him on her finger but that wasn't the change that struck him. He couldn't really point it out even though he checked her from top to bottom.

Smiling, she looked back at him. Seeing this he melted practically here. No matter what he did, that he has earned her, he must keep this up in the future.

"What would you like to do?" Shira has ensured that she will not be confronted with work today. She just wanted to be there for her man even if she doesn't know until yesterday that he would be her fiance. Of course, it made her happy but she has never thought about getting married before. She simply believed that he only wanted to continue living with her until it does come otherwise.

It couldn't be that she thought until last night that he would turn to another woman someday? After all she was never the perfect woman which a man wanted as a wife and mother. But now he has shown her that even after all what she has done, she was still worth it. Six months ago, she actually thought that her life can't be better.

"Shira what's going on?" Horrified he threw the newspaper aside, when he saw that tears where running down her face. He immediately thought about how they got the fastest to a doctor because if she reacted like that she really must be in pain.

But when he stood beside her chair, she began to smile again. She wiped the water from her eyes and beamed at him from below. He doesn't quite know what to make of that.

"I'm pregnant." She replied finally to his question and that made him briefly freeze to a pillar of salt, while his brain was working at full speed.

“You still have to think about it. I can understand that." The tigress wanted to act understandingly but was nevertheless disappointed by his reaction. Of course, she knew that she would be no suitable mother. Yet she has believed that they are both work it out somehow.

“And I thought I couldn't love you more." He grabbed her shoulders to turn her back to him and gave her a kiss. Because he has just noticed how he must have looked right now. He doesn't want at all that she felt bad because she had just confessed this to him. It was just unbelievable for him. Yesterday he feared she wouldn't even say yes to his proposal and now he is also going to be a father.

"So you are happy?" She asked when he let go of her mouth again.

“How could I be not happy about something like this? It's just that the good news are a bit too much at once. I'm still thinking on whether I run out and shout it around or if I should carry you through the apartment all day as my queen."

“I would say second one is better. So that the neighbors don't think you're a lunatic. But afterwards you will walk somewhere against a cupboard and then simply drop me." Again a few happy tears ran over her face. Normally she wasn't so whiny and hoped that she felt like that only today. When the hormones make her so confused all the time then she was already feeling sorry for her partner. This just kissed the last drops from her face before he picked her up.

“I would never do that." But he left it then by a long hug before he took her to the couch to continue to caress her neck and other places. She smiled and began to scratch him behind the ears when he arrived at her shoulders. In response she got a slight purr but that's not the only sound she heard. She was sure that it's the phone of her boyfriend. Probably their friends were curious how she responded last night.

But her tiger seemed as if he doesn't want to notice the noise because he was busy kissing her belly.

“Don't start to talk to it already." She told him in teasing tone and sat up a little while Diego put his arms around her waist. Wit a light grin he listened with his ears on her stomach as if he could already hear something. She let him do it and continued to stroke him lovingly over the head.

* * *

 

“And? Tell me now!" Ellie had been so exhilarated all morning but what should her husband tell when the saber tooth hasn't reported yet.

“I told you that I haven't received a message." Manny was also a bit worried that his friend wasn't in a good state because his adored one really declined the offer. But then he shook his head, because Shira would be long gone if she doesn't loved Diego. The two have simply forgot everything around in the togetherness. It happened also to them every now and then.

"They will say something soon... Hey!" His wife has just fished the phone out of his pants to look on thing for herself.

"It just could have been that you only don't know how the new one works." Said Ellie a little disappointed.

“We are still in a shopping market. What if someone has seen this?”

"Do you mean this?" Then she tickled the other mammoth more with that what she did before.

"But now is enough." Declared the largest animal and held grinning his wife's hoofs.

“This will have an sequel at home." He added then in a teasing tone.

"I am looking forward to it." Replied Ellie just as mischievously and wanted to step even closer to the other but was stopped by a stick.

“I thought that's a shop and not a boring bar where you have to watch others snogging.” Manny has forgotten that Sid's grandmother was with them. She is probably the exception of her kind because she almost sleeps never until noon. In addition, his wife volunteered look a bit on the older lady during the day. When the grandson has to work all day or is just sleeping, it would be irresponsible to leave her permanently alone.

So he let go of Ellie with a sigh though reluctantly and then got again a punch with the stick. But he saw that it was his own fault then he blocked the way to the strained prunes.

"What do we need to?" The mammoth mother looked back at her note. She has this actually only because of her husband. When she went shopping alone, she has all in her mind.

"Definitely fruit puree." Threw the sloth in and ran off.

“Do you think we can lose her here?"

"Manny! Don't make stupid jokes and better get the flour and sugar." So also the male mammoth made his way to look for these things. Although he often went shopping with Ellie in a year, he still never memorized where some things are. Probably the stores are also rearranged constantly.

Pasta, rice, other whole grain foods. Somewhere here must be the baking ingredients. At least he thought it. Conserves in glass. Bag stuff. Ready meals. Frozen food. A line further is baby food.

"Hey Louis."

"Hello Mister M." This situation will never change, he thought. Although Ellie told the molehog years ago that he may address them by their first names, he never did it. He probably wanted to be polite. While Manny would never admit it, but the little one was the best of all Peaches friends. Of course he is the best friend of his daughter, that must not even be pronounced. She had also other animals around her in the last few years that weren't so nice. But Ellie was right here too, Peaches must have her own experiences. Now his little girl was together with a halfway decent mammoth as well. Actually it should make him happy.

Maybe it's true what his wife said. That he will never be satisfied with a man who goes out with his daughter. No matter how nice he acted.

Somehow the time passes to quickly for him and Peaches already shares an apartment with the guy this time. He hasn't to be a clairvoyant to know what follows next soon. He wasn't ready to bring his girl down the aisle or even to be a grandfather. But when that happens, he will have to accept it.

Eventually he could question the molehog a little about this. Of course that just came back from a trip but he was sure that this stayed in contact with Peaches all the time. Although he wasn't always listening but when their daughter ate with them in the evening sometimes, then she told every now and then from the traveler. At least he had a bit of it in his mind.

When he was right in front of the flour, it then made click with the mammoth. Because Louis wasn't only in line with the items for babies. This also had one with him. Certainly he hasn't been listening at the dinner yesterday by all the topics the others talked about. But he was sure he would have noticed it if such words as child, baby or offspring would have fallen.  
Wasn't Louis gone for so long because of his work? Had the little one changed his mind and instead created a family? He's also only twenty-three years old. Manny doesn't understand why all must have children so early these days, if they don't even get real money.

But when he stood by the baby food again, of course the little one is already gone. Maybe he puts too much thoughts to that. It's probably because he knew Louis since Peaches went to kindergarten.

“Manny has the dentist said recently that he can't do anything more for you and you must from now on eat puree?" Joked his wife behind him. Probably because he is still standing in front of the baby food.

"I thought the fruit puree is also here." He spoke himself out. Besides, he put the flour and sugar in the cart.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Can it be that my big toddler wants something specific?" Then he couldn't help but grin. But actually, he wondered if she has already met Louis. The store was large but luck was with such things never on his side.

"I don't think I can get something like this from the store here." He explained back in the same tone and snuggled a little closer to her. Also to look at the list to know what they still need.

"So what should I also get?" But at that very moment began a baby screaming behind them. Manny hasn't even time to distract his wife before she turned around.

“Do you remember when Peaches was at that age?" By this reaction, he also turned around. There was a hippo mother with her toddler. But he ignored his concern from before because he saw how dreamily Ellie stared to the scene.

"I see we need oil and that's standing in the next line." Of course, the stuff wasn't there, but now he doesn't want to deal with the matter if he could be a father again. It's not so bad when Ellie still wants a child but he felt far too old for that. He figured out already, when it will be in the school then he is certainly in the retirement home. Suddenly he was no longer in the mood to look for any things in the store.

“The air in here is a bit too stuffy for me. Do you mind if I'm going out?" His counterpart shook a little questioning the head but he let his wife no time to ask a question. Surely at home was still enough time for chatting. On the one hand he couldn't refuse her desire for a second child when she really wants it. On the other hand, age is also a reason for her not to do it.

Finally his phone made a sound. The message should certainly distract him. Manny's mood really improved a little as he looked at the text on the display. Diego wrote that he is now engaged and is looking forward to celebrate it a little with them tomorrow. This even said that he wants to invite everyone in a restaurant. He wrote back that it wasn't necessary and he even declared that all will be with them tomorrow. He would be poor fast when they go all to an expensive restaurant. Shira and Diego namely have in that matter a rather unusual taste. Not that he had something against it to eat something noble from time to time but it's already clear how Sid and the possum brothers will behave there. He hasn't the desire for that soon even if he doesn't have to pay this time.

His phone made a sound again and his friend offered to move it to another time when they are just four. Now that it was written before him, he realized that they weren't out for a long time in a group of four. Nor was he out alone with Ellie. Strange that this hasn't complained about it yet.

"Well? Are you feeling better?" Inquired his wife now and pushed the cart to the car.

"A little. By the way, Shira said yes." Then the other mammoth beamed at him.

“Do you see? I was right. Diego was worried for nothing." She opened in addition the trunk to stow the purchases. Manny joined next to her to help.

“And? Want the two still come to dinner to us tomorrow? Or do they want have the weekend rather to themselves?”

“Of course they come anyway. He also proposed to eat elsewhere.”

“Did you agree to that?"

“Ehm, I still can change it if you don't want to cook.”

“No. Although it's nice of them to invite us all, we still should move it to another day. The fish I bought must be eaten as soon as possible." The male mammoth nodded and then realized that Sid's grandmother wasn't by the car.

"Where did you.. Ouch!" There he had his answer and a new bruise.

“Watch it where you step! You can't just shove a defenseless lady to the side. If you hadn't felt the stick in your hip then I would have been mush." Manny rolled his eyes and he is sure the old sloth wasn't standing behind him a second ago. But he doesn't comment it further and only opened the car door to allow her to get in. A moment later he felt something on him again. This time it was a hand on his butt.

“Hey!" He turned a little energetic.

“What? I can't let you run around dirty.” Ellie grinned but her hand still lingered at the same spot.

“There I can say nothing. After all, you always do the laundry and I have no idea how to get stains out of clothes.” He said just as amused but before further things could happen their appendages complained already.

“Are you two teenagers or what? Please do it somewhere else where I don't have to see it." So his wife stepped from him to close the trunk and then shoved the cart away. He was really happy that he doesn't have to endure the old sloth repeatedly.

* * *

 

"Peaches, now don't make such a face." Said Katie and pushed her to the storefront were the other two girls are already waiting. Perhaps she should have canceled the shopping day because for some reason she was no longer for buying things since she saw baby clothes.

“We go in here." Commanded Steffie and they all knew why they have to be in this store. Meghan grinned to the blonde and Peaches sighed.

"What do you mean? Is that my color?" Steffie is holding a bathing suit to her body, which probably will not cover up much later. Meghan grabbed a two-parter and Katie several things. It wasn't long and the eyes fell quickly to the girl who looked for nothing in swimwear section. Peaches doesn't really understand why she should buy something new. Her surfing suit is still perfectly fine. She doesn't need something else at the beach. Lying in the sun and bragging with her body wasn't her thing. It's not that she is unhappy with her appearance, she only found this activity somehow always pointless. Maybe if Nathan had asked her if they would go together to the beach. Then she wouldn't have been averse to the idea. But he isn't for such activities.

“Come on. Get yourself something or we'll do it.” Meant Steffie determined and Peaches had the feeling that she can only leave the store again when she bought something.

“You know what? That's a good idea." The other three were grinning and a few minutes later she knew that it wasn't a good plan to leave the choice to the others. When she saw the first part in the locker room, she was a little embarrassed. She is sure she doesn't even have to try something like that on to know that it wasn't for her.

“And?" Inquired Meghan and she heard the mischievous undertone.

"Absolutely not." She gave it out and there Katie was giving her already the next item in. How can it be that the swimwear increasingly tends to run around like in Eve costume, thought the peach colored mammoth and shakes her head. She would also not put that on.

Nearly half an hour later she was ready to leave the store. Apparently the others don't take the matter seriously. Honestly, she could walk around naked on the beach. That would be more respectable than all she had just seen here.

"Now don't be like that. In the last one you really looked good. Perhaps black is really more your color."

"Katie if she doesn't want to, then let her. I want to go up now.” Steffie can be quite impatient when she had what she wanted. The addressed mammoth waved her off.

“You two can go. I stay here with Peaches a while longer.” And so the other two girls were gone.

"It's nice that you want to help me, but I really don't need..“ But Peaches doesn't even came to an end.

“You really should stop wearing these loose clothes. It may be comfortably for home and work, but you should also put something on sometimes that shows a bit more from your good sides. You know looking sexy doesn't mean to be uncomfortable." Sometimes she really wondered how a girl like Katie can remain single. A moment later she was standing in the locker room and looked in the mirror. She turned a few times to make sure that this material doesn't looked strange at any spot on her. Although summer still needs a while to be here but now she was ready for this season. Maybe she should more often seek advice from the bright mammoth.

“And now we go up and also search something nice for you there." Meant her friend delighted when she came out of the locker room. Peaches rejected the idea from before immediately. Because one floor up was the underwear. That alone would have been ok for her. But she is sure the girls pull her in the corner where the stuff is, what more men want to see on women. Again she doesn't mind to wear something different, but she couldn't somehow ask Nathan what he would like to see on her. Simply buying something wasn't for her because she doesn't want look ridiculous in front of him.

“Well, how do I look?" Wanted Steffie to know and wore a bodice that reminded Peaches of a very holey net. The clothing in this area was definitely not there to hide something. Meghan arrived already with the next strange thing. It looked a little like a belt, only for the whole body. Peaches couldn't really imagine herself to wear something from here.

“Peaches, you're not blushing, hm?” Teased Steffie her and she rolled her eyes then. Because that around her doesn't really made her feel embarrassed. Or? No, thought the young mammoth. She is a beautiful and confident woman. With these thoughts she grabbed what she liked a little bit because of the color and then disappeared with it in the next locker room.

"He would definitely like it." Said Katie with a grin when they finally left the store. Now Peaches has bought more than she wanted. Yet she had to admit that she liked what she saw in the mirror in the dressing room. She hoped her boyfriend would like it too.

“Which reminds me, haven't you said that your small appendage comes back this week." She almost forgot the matter with Louis but Steffie remembered her back to it. This made even a gesture with the hand to emphasize the word small. She ignored it, because she doesn't understand until today what was wrong with the molehog's size.

"..a love triangle." She heard Meghan whispering and thought it went around someone else as the two girls giggled.

"If we are speaking of relationships, we can also talk a little about your nonexistent." Threw suddenly the blond mammoth louder in. She also looked a little angry at the other two. Peaches thought for a moment that she must have missed something.

"Hey. It doesn't mean there is nothing like a relationship just because Ethan and I don't see each other at the moment." Declared Steffie a little sulky. That was another thing that the peachy mammoth doesn't understand. Since they were all teenagers, Ethan and Steffie are sometimes together and in other times not. That because of the strangest reasons and she can't quite get it. Well she doesn't actually have to. The two are should just see that they get it together or not themselves. Even the other two girls have long stopped to help them somehow.

“Exactly. Besides, you're also single." Mingled now also Meghan in to avoid being the fool. The problem with this mammoth was that she doesn't know what and whom she wanted. In a way she may want a relationship, but she can never lay her hoofs just on one person for long.

“It doesn't matter how it is. Let's get over there to eat ice cream." Threw Peaches in because they don't have to argue now. Besides, she really would like something cool after all the legwork.


	3. Confused

Meanwhile the young skunk hastened to get away from school far as possible. Today she really wasn't in the mood to endure idiots. If she was honest, there were rarely such moments. But on some days this place is just corrosive. It wasn't even the learning that is hard for her. Although she wasn't outstanding smart, but she doesn't have to be ashamed of her grades. That is when she showed up at school. The other animals around her were all simply exhausting. Sometimes she wondered if life always continues like that, only changing from school to job. The stupid things around remains the same. She has tried to find a solution to it but alone she can probably do nothing.

There are these chicks who constantly complaining about her outfits, as if there is a dress code at school. Ruby puts on what she want, when she want it. Neither her mother can forbid something, nor such pubescent girls. Anyone can wear the latest trends from the stores, but it doesn't mean she has to like it too.

Unfortunately that wasn't the only thing that bugged her at the school. There was of course a guy who said that they would work well together and so he bothered her permanently. That she has once smeared chewing gum into his fur, saw the guy as a proof of love. Finding real friends was harder for her than for others, so she therefore has no other choice than to be alone.

The teachers found her too rebellious and the other students probably too dangerous. Yet she took no drugs or drank excessively alcohol. But even her own mother hasn't believed her when this was ordered to the school because Ruby was caught with a little bag. She knew that someone smuggled the stuff between her things. Moreover, it could have been herbal tea because those teachers aren't such experts. No one has ever looked what for substance that was. The main thing of all this was that she got out of the school for a few days. She wouldn't have cared if they had thrown her out completely.

If it was all just about raising money, she has other ideas in this terms. That's why she was on the road today. She had already written a while with a man from the net. This had made her an offer that she could dance and sing in a bar. Of course she wasn't stupid and that's why she has informed herself before what kind of business that was. After all, she doesn't want to land under the claws of a pimp in the end. Honestly, she wasn't against dancing and undressing as long as one of those nasty guys doesn't touch her. The sum she should get for it, sounds all too tempting. Then she could finally have her own apartment. She likes her mother even when they argue now and then. But she needs more space than just a room. She eventually wanted to take a man home and if her plans work, it will be also the right one.

But first she must see if they are observing her age. Although she had put on a little more makeup to get a few more years but not everyone could be easily fooled. That made even the way to the clubs sometimes difficult for her. Although she occasionally doesn't want to have too many animals around, she still liked to dance. Like this she also ended up at this guy with the offer. First he said she should only dance, but then he even begged her to sing. He seemed pleased that she mastered it because he needed urgently a singer for his show. This should be held soon.

Today she will see if this is something for her or not. Of course, she thought of another name before the whole thing. She just hoped her mother must soon make night shifts more often, than this wouldn't notice when she isn't home.

Although she was a little nervous as she walked into the store, but she thought only on her destination and when she wants to achieve that, she must go through this here. She also can defend herself should someone do the wrong thing at the first meeting. For some animals she looked harmless, but she also has claws and know how to use them. No one can simply dissuaded her from something. Yet she should first stay down to earth and not even dream of what might happen. No, she should only allow it a little when she had the job really in the pocket and the first working day lay behind her. Should that really arrive, she will prove to everyone that she is more than just a cheeky brat.

* * *

 

"And it doesn't really bother you to leave your wife alone today?" Teased Sid his pal the saber tooth. This gritted then with his teeth, because he found it indeed difficult. Although Shira had assured him that she's okay. Also he had often helped Ellie with something, when she was pregnant. But that was so many years ago and now he is going to be a father himself, that makes the whole thing not easier. Since he heard of the child three weeks ago, they were already together by the doctor. Perhaps he is too careful with her, but that's still his first time that he learns the joys of fatherhood. Diego knew absolutely not what he should do sometimes. Now he regretted almost everything he said at the time for cool quotes to Manny when this discovered the news from his pregnant wife.

“Now stop that!” Admonished the mammoth the smaller animal and drew the saber tooth back from the thoughts. Even the biggest one in the round found it a little funny to tease the newly engaged, but it doesn't have to be exaggerated. In addition, Diego will be a nervous wreck soon enough. Manny thought briefly back to it, as Ellie had told him she was pregnant. Oh, that was already long time ago and soon he will surely be a grandfather if this continues with Peaches boyfriend. He shook his head, because his wife was always right. It's not good to worry that much at his age.

“Now you're the only one who still needs a woman." Gave Diego in the same tone back, but that sloth wrinkled his nose to that.

“The single life is great. You can have another woman every day. You two don't know what you're missing." The big cat and the mammoth threw a particular look at each other.

“You're spitting big words now in exchange that you've still complained last week that you will never find someone.” By the way Manfred turned on the TV because the game would start at any moment.

"Exactly. And the week before a woman has just left you. Well she has hit you to make it clear." Also added Diego and searched his place on the couch. Sid was already sitting on the other side and of course Manny had his beloved armchair in his living room. The big cat often pondered lately, whether he shouldn't perhaps also look for a small house. With a garden for playing and a working-room for his fiancee.

“Well thank you, for the memory of that event. But I really thought we would go well together. She had such a beautiful smile." Raved the sloth and then pouted a little.

“Maybe you should look next time for a woman who is the size of you.” The mammoth mixed in again because Sid was the only one of them who had exquisite taste in women. Not that it really bothers him, but nevertheless his friend should start small at first.

"What does that mean?" Irritated looked the sloth to his big buddy.

“What Manny means by that is, a giraffe lady shouldn't be one of your dating choices." Helped the saber-tooth out, even if he doesn't know exactly what to say, because if he was honest, he's not against dating other animal species. Even if he doesn't have much experience with it, it could have been that he falls in love with a different kind. While he doesn't want to say that the thing with Shira was just coincidence, but Sid should also know his limitations.

“Hey, she has clearly hit on me. But maybe you're right. By the time we X#X#X# and X#X#X#X, then we couldn't have kissed us." The other two grimaced, because they would have done it alright without hearing this.

“Too much information, Sid." Declared the mammoth and turned up the volume, because the game started. The microwave beeped already because Ellie had put popcorn it before she was going out. That was finished now. Sid declared himself quick to pick it up while Diego opened the drinks. Strange that their sloth buddy wasn't then lazy when it came to food. But then he wondered why it still surprised him after all these years. After all, they should know each other after such a long friendship. Maybe he is just getting old and that not very slow.

Of course, the thoughts that plagued him lately, must appear in his head again. Namely whether his wife would like to have a second child or not. Until now he hasn't been able to open his mouth and talk to her about it. When he heard how excited she chatted with Shira, she surely got the idea to have something little for herself again.

"You're making the evening really lousy. You know that?" Thus the sloth punched him in the shoulder and Manny began again to notice his surroundings.

“What? I haven't done anything." He only said as the other two watched him with examined eyes.

“If we'd known each other since yesterday, we would have noticed nothing. But this isn't like that, so out with it. Now they're just showing advertisement anyway.” Demanded Diego and put down his drink. He has already noticed repeatedly in recent days that something was wrong with his big buddy. Or at least somewhat serious was going around in the mammoths head. Although they are all friends for so long, he knew that it would be always difficult for Manny, to go openly around with his problems. They must tolerate this if he really doesn't want to talk about it, but they could at least try to help. The called party stuffed some popcorn in and then took a big gulp of his drink. Then he sighed and took a deep breath.

"I think Ellie wants a second child." Except that the TV made its noise, a moment there was complete long silence between the men.

Sid looked between the two back and forth. Because he doesn't quite understand what was so bad about it. Yes, Ellie had assertiveness if she wanted something, but he also doesn't believe that she will force Manny to it when he is against this idea.

"Is there more?" Inquires the sloth, because Diego apparently wants to remain silent.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, if that's all then.."

"Yes, that's all Sid. I tell you then when Ellie throws the next baby shower."

"OK. Hopefully there is again such delicious cakes, like last time." The saber-tooth rolled his eyes to that but shouldn't the mammoth be glad somehow.

“Sid, he meant it sarcastically. Still there is no reason to be that worried about it."

"You can talk. You two don't understand that. I might be soon a grandfather and there I should also be a father a second time? Since that the children can grow up just like siblings." At the end of a sentence, the mammoth got still a little upset and Sid slides over to the big cat to whisper something to him with reproached paw.

"I think now begins the midlife crisis." Also Diego doesn't know better as to just shrug his shoulders.

"I heard that!" Manny complained loudly but then calmed down again, trying to change the subject by looking to the TV. After all, they were going to have a great evening.

“First of all, starting a conversation with your wife is the least you can do." Meant the saber-tooth after a while and looked back to the mammoth. Of course his friend was right, but the largest animal wasn't prepared for the whole drama that could come with the conversation.

"That will probably be the best when I do that first." So he replied casually, reaching for the popcorn. Only to notice that this sloth has stuffed all into himself.

"Sid!"

"What? The game is almost over anyway." The largest animal sighed and looked back to the TV to check that.

* * *

 

"And how excited is our saber-tooth dad?" Ellie wanted first to go to see a movie with Shira, but then they have changed their minds and now they sitting in front of a laptop and looked at clothes for babies, while they were drinking tea.

"Until now he takes it quite well." Shira knew that her fiancé was here and there a little nervous but she is it also herself. Together they were managing it just fine.

"Are you already talking about names? I mean it's better to start it earlier." The tigress nodded and took another sip of her tea.

"Oh I'm so happy for you two." Again the other just smiled, but then she remembered something.

“Say could it be that your husband is a little tense too lately? I mean it's nice if he's excited for us, but he doesn't have to make such a stress. Or is it because of your daughter?"

“Manny get's slowly old and maybe a little grouchy. He probably thinks he must lead our daughter soon to the altar or something like that. Of course she's a little young for such a step, but if it makes her happy. Nathan is also a decent mammoth.”

"But?"

"I don't know. It's somehow stupid that I thought that she will come together with Louis someday. When the two were teenagers the small one has been very in love with Peaches. But Manny might be right when he says that the molehog has grown out of it. Finally, the signs for it are gone now. Moreover, it shouldn't happen because I would have liked to see it. If the two are happy, that's enough for me."

“So it's true that Louis has a child." Shira added after a little pause.

“He doesn't say it but my brothers have also claimed that. I even wanted to ask Louis but I haven't seen him since our meal together."

"You're really worried about the little one?" The big cat understood that, because she heard that Peaches knew the molehog for a long time.

“I know him since Peaches went to kindergarten. I would really find it a pity if he no longer comes to visit us. But as I said to my husband, children become adults and I must also accept that.” Ellie sighed and poured herself a little more in of the hot drink.

"And have you two thought about a second child? I mean you're not that old yet, you don't need to give that up." But the mammoth laughed.

“No. I have thought of it, as Peaches went to school. A sibling for her could have been great. But it wasn't meant to be and now Manny would freak out if I would be pregnant again."

"Are you sure?" The the taller one nodded knowingly.

"He probably thinks now I let myself be carried away by your pregnancy that I want a baby myself again. But as long as he doesn't say anything and I'll keep my mouth shut too. He is old enough to begin the conversation about it."

“He is probably a bit complicated sometimes."

“Oh yeah. He can be very mammoth-headed at times, but I love his stubbornness too. Because thanks to this characteristic we're married today." And so the two women talked a bit about the past. Although Shira doesn't want to reveal too much of her youth, yet she realized that Ellie wasn't judging her. She is after all a good friend, even if she wasn't a saber-tooth.

* * *

 

In the same time the molehog had picked up the skunkgirl. He actually wanted to send her straight home, but he had no strength for a discussion. Somehow he felt not so well today. That is why he was calling the girl's mother from his apartment, so that she can then take over the scolding. Hopefully at his home is still everything alright, because his cousin wasn't the best in cleaning up. She has a child and so she should keep a little more organization in her life.

Louis sighed, because she was already two weeks with him and so far she probably doesn't want go back. Daytime at work goes fine but also feeding a baby at night is too much for him.

“Hey, are you sure you're alright?"

"Just a little headache." He answered, while they have finally mastered the stairs to his apartment. Maybe he should make a light day tomorrow, than it's Friday after all.

“I can't stand the fumbling with the keys. Give that damn thing to me!" So Ruby snatched his keys and opened the door herself. Somehow his eyes are already tired.

"There you are at last." Greeted him not his cousin but a mammoth. First the light of the evening sun blinded him because it shone right through his window, but he recognized his friend on the voice. Peaches sat on his couch and had the little molehog baby in her arms. One might think that such a large animal can't handle something so small. But the mammoth held the child gently and carefully on the arm. He had never dreamed of such a thing. Is he really so confused, that peculiar daydreams come to him already?

“This is like a glimpse into the dream future, huh?” The skunk girl beside him nudged him in the side grinning. So she probably saw the same thing. He was going to say something, but his body went finally limp and he suddenly keeled over backwards.

His eyelids felt heavy. If he was honest, actually everything about him felt like that. Thereafter he couldn't lie here forever. Even if the ground seems to be soft now.  
Someone suddenly stroked his forehead and then put a cold cloth on the spot. Yes, that was a little more pleasant. He sighed and then opened his eyes. Because he knew very well who is here with him. If you know each other for so long, there must not even be uttered a word.

“What are you doing stupid things for?" Inquires the mammoth and gave him a slightly angry look. But this doesn't last long. Probably because his friend knew he couldn't change something on the situation now.

"I'm sorry." Apologized Louis nevertheless, but actually he doesn't want that she was here and saw him in this state. It wasn't that he hoped that his cousin disappeared, so he can do something with Peaches. Namely, he also found out that the other two molehogs are the distraction he needed. Because he doesn't even think to call the mammoth once. Although he received messages on his mobile phone from his friend, but somehow he answered only polite to them. In retrospect, he realized that it's not good for a friendship when they no longer see each other.

“I thought I had told you not to overdo it with the work. But now it's not important. Nevertheless, you could have let me know that you're a little overwhelmed with this situation." As always Peaches is likeable and helpful.

“This is really only my business." He explained, but doesn't sounded very annoyed.

“As a certain someone tipped over, I have made it to my business." He was startled when he couldn't hear the baby. Had he been so accustomed to hearing the child on the day in the background? Even if it was only through the baby monitor. He immediately wanted to get up.

“I hear nothing. Where are the other two?" The larger one looked briefly as though she would have to tell him a terrible message. Nevertheless, she pushed him back on his shoulder into a lying position.

“She has gone as she noticed that you're not alright." A little he was surprised at the tone, but he doesn't want to ask about that now. Then swallowed the smaller one, because he realized that there will be a sequel to it. Well, the two are gone for now and that's at least something good.

“Also Lorene has picked up Ruby already. She should have really noticed that you're not alright." Here, the mammoth again made a slightly mad face.

“Don't be angry with her because of that. She often asked me if I'm okay, but I have tried to let on nothing.”

“That's why you also don't wanted to meet me. It would have been obvious to me if something is wrong with you." The molehog nodded slightly smiling, because that's probably true. Peaches could read him like an open book. Well, except for one small thing.

“As I said, it doesn't matter. I'll make you something to eat. Rest a little more before I bring it to you.” Although he wanted to know what's with her. After all, she certainly doesn't want to stay all the time here and take care of him. But the mammoth was out of the bedroom faster than thought. So he had no choice than to lie down properly again and close the eyes. It's still time later to clarify anything else.

* * *

 

“What are you doing that face for? Wasn't the game so great?" Inquired Ellie when she came back home. She has expected three drunk men who yodel some hymns. It hasn't happened that often but she missed the opportunity by each time to make a video of that. And so she thought today would be her chance for it.

"We need to talk." Was the only answer that came from her husband and it sounded so serious that she refrained from any more jokes.

"Hey. It can't be that bad." She leaned on the side of his chair and looked at him encouragingly.

"You know I'm getting older." Ellie smiled slightly as he stared at the floor. With one hand she grabbed a tusk, to get him to see into her face.

"I don't even noticed." She said smiling and leaned her forehead against his.

"You are aware that I am getting also old, right?"

"Yes, but not as fast as me. I don't know if I can put up with it any longer."

"I don't knew at all that I'm so unbearable." She joked now because she was aware of it that Manny meant something else.

“No. I'm talking about to become a father again." A little shocked she jerked up and looked at him directly. A moment of silence arose between them and then the female mammoth had to start laughing. It was just too funny that she previously was speaking exactly about this with Shira. Her instinct is getting better every year or maybe she knew her husband simply very well.

"That's not funny!" Grim turned Manfred from her, because for him the situation was serious. Nevertheless, he waited until his wife has calmed down to continue the conversation.

“How do you think that is..." But she interrupted him easily.

“Do you think I will still get up at night and change diapers? I'm really happy for our friends that they finally become parents, but I don't want a kid on my own anymore.” Again they exchanged meaningful glances.

"You don't want a child." It came then relieved from the male mammoth. Ellie punched this then slightly in the arm.

“If you had come to me immediately when you have troubles, you wouldn't get gray fur."

“It's just difficult to teach old mammoths something."

“Yeah, like that. You aren't that old. So I go to bed for today. Want to sleep here on your chair, because you still have to ponder a little over your age or are you coming with me?” He sighed, because he again made himself worry about nothing. But quickly he followed then his wife, not that this thought, he really wanted to stay in the living room.

* * *

 

Lorene sighed as she cleared the table. Her daughter had hardly changed word at table with her and that's just because she mentioned that Ruby shouldn't get on the molehogs nerves so often. But Louis was sometimes too nice. At that age she wouldn't certainly just let anyone in her apartment.

Well, she couldn't also really compare, because she had already a child at that time.

But the way it looked like the molehog had the same problems. Although she never judged him for that guy but she just shrugged her shoulders as she drank her cup of tea. There were finally been others where she completely lay wrong with the personality. She had probably come to terms that this wasn't her thing. At her age, it's also no longer so important.

But she talked with Ruby about on whether she saw Louis just as a friend or liked him more and from then, there was silence. She herself was never good at showing feelings. Why should her seventeen year old daughter suddenly be an expert? She doesn't want to see her child sad, but she couldn't also get involved in this. Nevertheless, she shouldn't allow her daughter to do what she wanted and let her walk in animals homes. After what she had noticed the molehog was busy enough already anyway. Here Lorene thought that he would recover first after this long journey. In the end he has overworked himself. At least that was the information that she got from the young mammoth. Peaches may perhaps know the molehog for years, but she couldn't simply scare of his girlfriend and child.

She still doesn't understand what Ruby found so amusing about the scene. But she will eventually find out more about it. At the very latest by the time she meets up with Ellie again.  
But for now she had enough. So she went to a relaxing shower and then into her bed.


	4. On The Beach And Houses On View

"And you're sure it's okay?" Inquired Peaches from the saber-tooth who just got out of her car. This rolled a little annoyed with the eyes.

"Now don't start like this too. Yes, my stomach has become a little rounder, but that doesn't mean that I can't go out anymore. On the contrary, a day on the beach will surely be good for me." The mammoth looked over it a little thoughtful, she felt somehow sorry for Shira because everybody touched her with velvet paws. To be exactly the one who did it the most was only her uncle Diego.

"Actually, I just wanted to know if it's ok to be here without your fiance."

"Well, the guard has to work and I got the permission to go out. So it's fair. The weather looks good too. But why aren't your parents here?" Then the younger one sighed a little.

"My father has never been one who is for such places where so much is going on, but recently, he also drags my mum in this matter. Because she doesn't want to come too. It's really not so full here at this beach. Although the drive here has taken for a while but for cooling, it was worth to me." Her talk partner nodded in agreement and then the two women set off to find a suitable place on the sandy beach. That went relatively quickly, which probably was because that Peaches could better look over everything.

"Your boyfriend had probably to work too." Actually, it wasn't the business of the big cat but she also knew the girl for a while and so it was also important to her that she was fine.

Moreover, Manny can't stop to emphasize that this Nathan wasn't the right one for his daughter. Although the mammoth exaggerated a little sometimes with the protecting, but most of the time he acted very reasonable. In the past this always had a good nose to detect inconsistencies. That's why she now want to talk a bit with Peaches about her future views. It means if the girl really wants that. After all, she doesn't even know if she is after all these years seen as aunt or something like that, or only as Diego's girlfriend. Although she had never previously thought about, now she wants to be accepted by all.

“Something like that. He's just a little difficult right now." Declared the mammoth a bit irritated while she lay the things on the ground, spread the large blanket and put up the parasol. Although Shira still waited, but it already seemed to be all what she got as response.

"Would you mind if I already go into the water? The trip over here has made me sweat pretty much."

"Of course not. Just go." So Peaches threw her clothes to the floor and ran to the water. Shira would just relax a bit here, because she doesn't found it so warm. On the other paw, she hasn't so much fur like a mammoth.

When she had gone sure that nothing slipped from her turquoise monokini while undressing, she sat down at last. Like her companion she had the bathing suit already underneath. That was simply more practical. Not that she was so wild on swimming, after all she came her to just enjoy the change of the surroundings. Maybe later ruled not so much trouble in the water, so she can also go into it. Now there were too many other animals.

She saw how Peaches has to go through several children to finally swim free. A smile played around her mouth, when the mammoth was very careful because she certainly doesn't wants to shove someone smaller or worse. Her gaze then wandered to a few children with their mothers. One scolded just her older son, probably because this has annoyed his little sister. This sat crying next to a crushed sand castle.

Will she look like this in a few years as well? Certainly, and the image in front of her, doesn't deter her in the slightest. Although she had first to get one birth behind her and was therefore always a little nervous, yet she would appreciate it even if she would get a sibling for her present child in the future. Of course, she doesn't mind if that wouldn't happen. Shira was happy with the fact that she got pregnant at all. Though Diego had repeatedly asserted her that they can be happy without children, but then she would maybe always wonder what if.

She shook her head slightly, now was neither the time nor the place for such thoughts. Relaxation finally went quite differently. So she opened the cooler bag, which they brought with them and took out a cold drink.

"Hey sexy mama. All alone here?" The saber-tooth had to take a deep breath, because actually she should have expected something like that.

“Say, did have possums the strips so that you know where to place claws in position?" She inquired in a slightly sharp tone. Crash held defensively his paws high while his brother arrived with two other animals.

“In your place I would be careful what you say. I'm sure her husband makes no difference between friend and foe right now if you're doing lousy jokes with her." Warned the molehog and then welcomed the saber-tooth polite while Ruby left it with a simple Hey. Shira doesn't corrected him that Diego still wasn't her husband because it sounded nice.

“I hope you don't mind if we stay here?" The other smaller striped ones rolled only with the eyes to that question. They all knew each other for a while, but Louis still used the formal term to address all the adults. The exception was Eddie, Crash and Sid. But Shira could understand that sometimes it was very difficult, despite their age, to see them as adults.

“Of course not. Sit down, please." She explained, even if she would rather dispense the possums, but these were fortunately not really long around her. Because soon as their stuff touched the ground they ran to the water.

“This idiots. They could at least have waited a minute for me." Said the young skunk rather to herself, before she walked away too. What remained was a sighing molehog and a grinning tigress. Because she saw that Ruby has quickly caught up with the brothers and made them wet now.

“Let me guess, they have persuaded you more to come here." Louis, who sat now whit a respectful distance beside her, agreed to it nodding.

"They're also right that I should go out more from time to time."

"But?"

“But they don't take the work so seriously. I mean with Eddie and Crash can nobody do anything. They just do what they want and when they want it. However, Ruby is still a child. Of course, having fun is just as important for her, but I think she neglected the school again too. Although her mother mentioned nothing of such things." The large animal looked down at the other and thought that the little one really was thinking too much for his age. On the other paw this probably had no choice, if certain animals are just around the corner and that three times a week. Also the molehog was someone who couldn't easily say no.

“Maybe the girl is just in a difficult phase. We were all in it and with you it shouldn't be so far away that you don't remember it." She joked and opened the icebox again to offer her call partner a drink or a piece of melon. It came to her mind that her female companion planned the trip better.

Suddenly she noticed that the other doesn't answered. She looked at him again. The molehog was just staring straight ahead silently and so she followed his gaze. She realized that this has probably discovered Peaches. Because the girl just came back from her first swimming round.

“Shut the mouth Louis, otherwise something will fly in there." She whispered to prickly one, who then came out of his rigidity and looked around a little embarrassed.  
So the little crush isn't really over, Shira thought but that's really none of her business. Thus, she will not tell anyone of the precisely observation. She even could imagine that it must be hard to accept that someone you like in this way would never feel the same.

"So soda or something else?" She asked again to save the little ones from the misery.

“Soda, please." He said a little sheepishly.

“Louis? What are you doing here?" Inquired the now arrived mammoth a little surprised.

“No. Don't say anything further. The three over there have dragged you here." The tigress grinned a little, because even for the larger one it was probably obvious. The smallest in line just nodded. Peaches grabbed a towel to dry herself a little before she sat down on the blanket between Shira and her friend. She wondered though, why there was such a big distance between the two, but blamed it on Louis occasional shyness.

“Couldn't you bring your surfboard?" Somehow Shira found the molehog cute and pathetic at the same time. This was in fact trying to begin a conversation without looking much at his friend. Apparently, he's one of those guys who got fast uncomfortable when the girls take off their clothes. But she noticed nothing like this with Ruby and herself. Probably Peaches was the only reason. But the two have known each other for very long, so he should be accustomed to such a sight.

“I have left it at home because I didn't know how much rush would be here." Louis really hasn't thought of that when the skunk girl had persuaded him to go to the beach. Actually he imagined rather that the other three have fun in the water and then he was able to read a book or something like that. Now he knew he couldn't read or play something on his cell phone. Because with such a woman on the side, his concentration would vanish permanently. Otherwise his friend always wore her surfing suit when he agreed to go the beach after all in the past. Actually, it should be quite normal that Peaches also wears something like that by the water. Why did he then feel so embarrassed?

We had all this stuff behind us, he urged himself inwardly, trying to act cool outwardly. What wasn't so easy, as his friend leaning to the cooling box, which was more on Shira's side. He doesn't know what was worse, that he stared at Peaches butt like a pubescent teenager or that he got caught by doing so.

“Oh Wiener. I see we still have the old problem." Meant Crash played disappointed.

“You can fly halfway around the world, old love doesn't rust." Eddie added and the molehog gave the brothers a warning look.

“I think the saying went differently. But they're both right a bit."

“Why do you ally yourself with them?" The skunk even knew of his secret, but this wouldn't just say it out loud here. The possums sometimes were just stupid, but Ruby was anything but that.

“Oh come on. It was just fun. You can look at everyone here if you want. I would just stop the conspicuous starring.” The prickly one would like to give a thing or two back, but in the presence of Shira and Peaches he doesn't do it. A moment later the mammoth pushed the chatterboxes simply aside, as if nothing had happened and handed Louis a piece of melon.

“Hey, don't just ignore us! At least give me something too. I said nothing about it that his girlfriend has left him." Silence. Peaches gave Crash for the mentioned things a glare. But this couldn't also help now, her uncles had never some sense of tact. Even the tigress rolled her eyes, but with the brothers hops and malt was really lost.

“How about we bury both in the sand and leave them here?" Although Shira wouldn't just leave the possums here, but they don't have to find out that right now.

“Peaches would never let that happen." Threw Eddie against it, but this just grinned.

"If you two keep that up, I think about it."

“But now let's face it, Louis. You can't mope because of this woman all the time." In a encouragingly gesture the skunk girl put a paw on the shoulder of the spined one, while the mammoth watched this thoughtfully. Because she was surprised that the two of them were close in this way now.

“I'm a little confused. Who is meant here?" Here the molehog really hoped that they all don't speak of his friend, who was sitting next to him. But Crash mentioned something about that he was left by someone. They couldn't be talking about his cousin.

“Wiener, you were never the brightest. But you have certainly noticed that there was a woman with a baby living with you." The statement from Eddie to his intelligence, he just doesn't heard for once. But suddenly made the behavior of all sense.

"That was just my cousin." He gave finally out, because all looked at him.

"Dude, that's really disgusting."

"Yes, what were you thinking.." But the second possum doesn't come to the end of his sentence because he was interrupted by Ruby's laughter.

"And you thought all, he now has his own small family." She still got out and kept laughing.

“Something like this isn't funny. It's his cousin and.." This time Peaches came between.

“Don't you two understand that it neither was his girlfriend or his daughter." The spined looked questioningly around.

“You all have thought that? Why has no one just said something? Peaches you still should have recognized Marie. You met her before after all." A little was the mammoth embarrassed, because as she thought about it now, she should really have noticed that. It was the molehog girl which often visited Louis in past when he still lived with his parents. Now that she compared the images in her head, not really much has changed. The girl just has grown a bit more.

"I wouldn't start a family like that. It would be.."

“Enough stories of the prickly old man here." Crash interfered again, because what was funny for the possums a minute ago, bored them now. Therefore the mammoth girl distributed sighing something to everyone, so that the animals around her were satisfied.

"I'm sorry." She explained after a while, as all the others were in the water. Even Shira had decided to swim a bit. Louis has simply laid a little bit in the shadow of the parasol and plugged headphones into his ears. But the music wasn't too loud, so he noticed it when someone spoke to him.

“For what are you sorry?" He inquired, pulling a plug out of his ear. Peaches lay beside him on the stomach and the head resting on her arms. For other animal species that must look difficult because of the tusks. But if you were born with it, you learn also to deal with it.

“Well, for how I have behaved lately. Now you're already a while back from your trip and yet we have really done nothing together. If I wouldn't have been by chance by your apartment or met you here at the beach what then?" Somehow he was confused because he doesn't really know what she meant. Of course, he missed his friend also, but this has a boyfriend and he doesn't want push himself in between.

“We can do something on the weekends now and then, if you wish."

“In the past we have seen us so often and told everything to each other." Why she said this so depressed? Was she really so sad because of it or plagued his friend something else? He would like to know it. Because it was never nice to see her in that way. Even if she has lovesickness for another, he will always try to help her. She sighed suddenly and sat up to look right at him.

“I'm talking such nonsense. Surely you would have called me or one of the others when the work gives you the time." Here the archaeology just wasn't hard in the slightest. Although he still has to type all the wrote down information from the trip in his computer and besides he planned some things for smaller expeditions in the area, but without the two other molehogs there was no more stress.

“It sounds a little selfish, but I wanted time just for me a while. So don't get me wrong, I like to spend time with you all.."

“Hey, I know how this is. You don't have to apologize for it. But can you make a free day next week for me in your busy schedule?" He noticed that she was joking.

"Of course. What are you up to?"

“Well, Nathan wants to meet you. We three can go anywhere or we make a movie night or something like this." The molehog nodded, even though he was inwardly shaken a little. Not that he had never met a mammoth that dated Peaches. But this time his friend has a serious relationship with this guy. At least if he can believe the possums once. Sooner or later he has indeed no chance as to meet him this guy.

“What would you have actually done if Ruby had pulled you into the water?" She changed after a short pause the subject.

"It's all right. Just because I let myself drag here, it doesn't mean she can do anything to me." His friend smiled a little.

“You could have told why you don't like it to go to the beach."

“I don't really wanted to look like a loser. I mean it's not that great that someone at this age can't swim.” A little depressed he sipped at his limo. When the bottle was standing on the side again, something ruffled over his head. Because of it his other earplug also said goodbye.

“Hey, what are you doing?" He inquired, while he stroke a few hairs backwards again.

“Sometimes you're just too serious. Do you think it has all these years been a big matter to me that you can't do it? Of course it would have been great to go surfing with you or other things in the water, but we still had always fun. You could have at least bragged that you're good at volleyball. Or have you forgotten that already?" Louis shoved his musical thing aside and smiled because Peaches managed it from time to time that one sees only the best in themselves.

“No I haven't. I think I have seen a net over there earlier. So when the others feel like it, then I can show how much I still know." Now laughed even the mammoth.

"That's the right attitude. I look briefly what the others think. Otherwise, we will probably be bitter rivals." She stood up and looked around for her other friends.

"Don't think that I cringe back just because you're bigger." Threw the molehog challenging to her.

“Now someone spits big words here. We will see how that looks on the field later." That was the last thing she had to say before she ran off. Her uncles were in her view, but she couldn't discover the saber-tooth and the skunk. Ruby was probably over at the beach bar and got invited by someone to ice cream. It wouldn't be the first time that this girl did something like that. But the other, she looked for was also gone. It already went slowly towards the evening and it got clearer on the beach.

* * *

“That doesn't look too bad." Meant Diego and looked out of the window from the large living room. After he could allow himself to finish his work a little earlier, he wanted to see a few houses or at least larger apartments. Finally, they will soon need a child-friendly environment and not going up long stairs with a baby on the arms. And the child is supposed to get a own bedroom. In his present home they were living in a confined space, because at that time his wife found it ok to move into his apartment.

“Yes. This one also has a good view." He has asked his pal Manny to come along to subtract the big selection a bit. So that he could save his Shira later from hours of back and forth. Namely, she knew nothing of it, that they will move as soon as their child was in the world. It's supposed to be a surprise.

“In the rooms above, the light could also shine through in a nice way." Spoke the mammoth further because he had seen already more of this house. The saber tooth wasn't as fast, because he also wanted to examine everything for errors. It was clear to him that nothing can be perfect. But they shouldn't notice disturbing things later when they moving in.

“Have you and your partner looked around already?" Both men were a little embarrassed and looked to the door. But when they realized that there was only their friend the sloth, who had just changed his voice, they rolled almost synchronously with the eyes.

“Very funny, Sid."

"Oh, come on. Diego is overwhelmed that he suddenly becomes a father and Manny, you want to try something new at your age again. That is why you two search for a house together. So behind the backs of the women.” That was too much for the good and the sloth got a head knock from the mammoth.

“Ellie takes you for once with in the bookstore and then you are reading such novels?" Commented Diego now the whole thing, because he remembered that the mammothmother had mentioned it.

“You don't really believe that." Manfred jokingly added.

"He only looks at the picture books in the kids corner." The sloth found it not acceptable.

“Hey! Some of them have really instructive stories."

"Yes, for example.." But Diego broke off when a cell phone rang shortly. All saw to the mammoth, which annoyed took the thing out.

“Why did my wife have to change it back so it's loud again?" He complained muttering as he looked at the phone. When he realized who it was, his mood got even worse.

“Well, did we have forgot again to bring the garbage out?" Meant Sid amused.

"If it were only that, but it's Nathan who goes permanently on my nerves for a week."

"Peaches boyfriend?" Inquired then the smallest animal confused because this couldn't imagine what this mammoth wants from Manny.

“Yes, exactly this one. He certainly wants to have That Talk with me."

"For real? Now?" Inquired the saber-tooth, but wasn't really astonished. Finally, you could see when the two young mammoths were together that they really liked each other. Manny nodded on it and there was silence again.

“Hello? Perhaps you could tell me which conversation is this about."

"Can't you think of that yourself? His daughter is together for a while with a nice mammoth and now this would like to have a chat with Manny. What do you think is this about?" Started the big cat to explain it and probably thought his buddy would come to the solution himself.

"Ice cream?" Gave this just out. The other two threw a annoyed look at Sid.

“Well, he told once that he works in an ice cream shop. Perhaps Manny and all who belong to the family get everything for free." He raved already of an ice cream sundae, while the other men were a little amazed that their lazy friend had actually remembered that. But it was indeed again about food, so it should be nothing new for them. Manfred snapped in front of the face of the sloth, so that it stopped dreaming.

“No. He wants to know certainly whether he gets my approval, if he asks for my daughter's hand. On one hoof, the boy is all right, because he takes actually the time to ask me first. But on the other side is Peaches too young for a wedding. The two know each other not even that long." Diego threw a certain look to the big guy.

"And how long did you know Ellie before the wedding came?"

"That was different. We were older and Peaches was already on the way." The mammoth suddenly looked a little pale, if one could ever say that by the thick fur. His friends still noticed that.

“Manny? Everything ok?" Asked Sid, but they were interrupted by a sound of the door. It was the broker who got a bit late here. Anyway, the largest animal shook everything off and said it was nothing.

He should respond simply polite to the message later and meet the boy at some point next week. Maybe he painted it in his mind worse than it really was. He doesn't also have to postpone it as much until his wife got wind of the matter. If it were up to her, he were sitting with Nathan much earlier together for a men's conversation. Actually, he had done that, but his usual threats should his girl get hurt, doesn't count for his women.

“Oh come on. First you thought that Ellie becomes a second child and now this. I mean if you're going to be a grandpa, you can easily just busy yourself with the nice things that kids bring with them."

“Sid." Tried Diego interrupting his buddy who got his ice on a stick after inspecting the house and now cheerfully blurted out his thoughts.

“And the two don't want to move so far. I mean it's like with him here and baby mammoths still need more space. Just imagine.." But the sloth chattered merrily on ignoring the warning glances of the saber-tooth. This made himself ready that the smallest in the round gets crushed by Manny at any moment because with each word the mammoth looked more angry. Abruptly this let his shoulders fall.

"He's right." Said Manfred with a sigh.

“I am? I mean, of course. I have finally read that in a guide. So it has to be right." The big cat ignored this comment now.

"What do you mean, he's right?"

"Well, Peaches isn't a little girl anymore. She can start her own family, when and with whom she wants. Probably we will see her then less but that doesn't mean that she is out of this world." The other two couldn't say more to this either.

“Now I also like to eat ice cream. Come on we stop over there." Declared the mammoth then to improve the mood a little.

“And I got just such a ice lolly from the gas station. That's not fair.” Of course, Sid had to wail again until he was satisfied.

“We can't probably just suspend that child on the roadside." The mammoth grinned at Diego's remark, because sometimes they would really like to do that. Especially because the sloth was the only one who still dribbled in his car like a toddler. He had just cleaned the car last week.

"Well, I have told you that you should let him eat his ice first." His buddy added and glanced over the shoulder to the back.

“But he needs so long." Whined the driver half jokingly, half seriously.

"Well then you have to buy a special seat."

“A transport box would be something more for him." The two in the front row laughed at their jokes while behind them Sid was eating his ice cream and looked through a car magazine. Therefore the cold sweet dessert remained not long in his paws because he dreamed to have such a cool car himself to perhaps impress women. To buy a car wouldn't be a problem, he just had to save money for some time. But he doesn't even have a driver's license and with his talent at such things, a cool-looking car would probably stay a dream.

* * *

 

Meanwhile the silver-haired big cat sat on some rocks, a little further away from the tumult. The sun was setting and from here you have a very good view. She found it strange that no other couples were hanging around at this corner. If she were here with Diego, she would certainly have some indecent ideas. But that no one was at this spot could also be because they came here on a weekday. So nobody who has to work tomorrow has the time for a little romance now.

The pregnancy has strange side effects, because in the past she would never have thought about such things. But slowly it would be better to run back to the others. Although the younger animals dealing with her a little more relaxed then Diego currently, still she should avoid that they have to worry about her. In addition, the waves are getting too high here and thus the stones are also slippery. About this she had to go a little back before she could step on the sand again and she really shouldn't slip here.

The way back seemed even shorter to her. Probably because she knew where she should put her paws without falling into the water. She saw already the place where more animals where. So it wasn't far to the others.

But suddenly she took a smell in which she hasn't in the nose for a long time. She wondered whether if that organ could be wrong in her current situation. After a moment, she realized that this unfortunately wasn't the case. A very old acquaintance came directly towards her now. Perhaps he hasn't seen or recognized her and so she wanted just to go on. But the snow leopard reached out to her, so that the way was blocked.

“Well, who we have here?" He greeted her played friendly, but Shira doesn't feel like chatting with this guy about old times. Thus, she pushed herself past him, but the other dared to touch and hold her on the shoulder.

"What do you want?" She looked at him with a nasty gaze, so he would know that she wasn't in the mood to be nice.

“Should you speak in such a tone with old friends?" As he moved down with his paw, she was beating that thing off and hurried to made a big step space between them. She has to have him completely in the sight, should he try something again.

“But let me see you better. You look really good. Still the same, huh? Almost. The number with the offspring probably not worked right, because you are still alone.” She rolled her eyes in annoyance, as if she would use her child as a lever. Even if Diego doesn't want to be with her anymore, she could never do something like that.

“It's not your business what works in my life. And now go away!"

"Now wait! Don't run away so quickly after we just have found each other now." Again he grabbed her arm, but this time, she used her claws. No one was allowed to simply touch her when she doesn't wants it.

“In the past you weren't so snappish. But if you absolutely want it the hard way..Ouch!" When he was just about to hold Shira again in his arms a third animal intervened. The tigress saw the skunk girl which probably just kicked the snow leopards shin. She hasn't noticed it quite, but once the guy let go of her, she took more distance. Actually she doesn't wanted overexcite.

"You little beast!" Insulted the guy Ruby now, but this couldn't be deterred.

“I wanted actually to hit you elsewhere but got lucky there. Take this chance and get away!" He held briefly his leg. Probably he had another injury under his shorts, otherwise this wouldn't hurt so long. She shook her head, because the guy hasn't changed a bit. Just like how in the past he always has small wounds and a bunch of bruises, because he liked to beat others out of fun.

“I don't take orders from little girls!" Now he was angry and Shira wanted to pull the skunk away from him, but he grabbed the young animal already fast by the arm.

“Let her go! She has nothing to do with it." But Ruby wasn't really defenseless because before he could hit her, she bit into the paw, from which she was held.

“Just wait you!" He yelled and reached out again. The saber-toothed tiger couldn't just helplessly stand by and tore the free girl back as far as possible. The beat from him then hit her on the shoulder. It doesn't hurt really, because he missed her more. But too late she saw that the guy was using the moment to get a hold of her again.

“Now that I've found you again, I will not give you up so quickly." He announced loudly, but the next moment he just let her go because his other arm was suddenly held by a mammoth.

“We also have a say in that matter." Stated Peaches and began to push the violently struggling leopard in the sand.

“Are you ok?" She inquired then from the other two women. Ruby said nothing but spit the attacker in the face before she run off to call the lifeguards and the police for this incident. Also Shira nodded. Although she wanted to quickly get away from the guy, but she doesn't dare to leave the mammoth alone with him. Though Peaches was strong, but the snow leopard had certainly still the same lousy tricks up his sleeve like in the past. But the overseer of beach came quickly and took the guy with them. This even promised not to come close to her again. It was clear for the tigress that he only did it, so she kept the police out of the matter. Actually, she shouldn't agree to it but she has no desire for further stress now.

“Hey, have you.." But Crash couldn't finish his sentence, because the molehog shoved past him.

"Are you injured?" Inquired this and looked in the direction of Shira and Ruby. Both shook with their heads. Nevertheless, the little one still opened that thing he brought, which turned out to be a first aid kit.

“We are all fine. No one got hurt in this matter." Although the mammoth tried to calm the spined one down but that doesn't worked so easy.

“Then how do you call this scratch on your right forearm?" The saber-tooth also looked at that place, because she should have noticed it before. She has a very good nose, but probably because of her pregnancy and the salty air here nothing works like it should. But that seems to be the only wound that the mammoth girl got. Although this was an adult, she still felt guilty about it.

“It's not so bad." Stated Peaches, but she knelt down to the molehog in the sand nevertheless, so that this could inspect the wound himself. Shira found it interesting how quickly the boy could leave all other feelings behind, because his friend was hurt. Not only that, with the serious glance all the cuteness was gone and he even looked a few years older.

Then she also noticed something else. Eddie babbled no stupid comments out on the matter like his brother. This was rather behind Ruby and checked this secretly from head to toe. At least the possum was thinking that no one saw it. As the tigress had caught his eyes, he looked quickly elsewhere.

“Enough of this drama mood here. We should go." Said Eddie loud a moment later and trudged through their small group, so that everyone saw him disappear.

"He's right. It is getting late." So they all set back to the berth and began to pack up their stuff.

“Could you please tell Diego nothing about that matter?" When they were all in Peaches car, the big cat said what she thought.

"All right, but you will tell him later yourself."

"Of course." Replied Shira, but when she was delivered to the apartment the mammoth couldn't chat with the male saber-tooth because this wasn't even there yet. So she just said goodbye before she drove on, to bring the other animals in the back home.

Louis had it not very easy on the drive, because although the skunk was no longer a toddler but the experience made her still very tired and so she slept quickly in the car. That would be no problem for the prickly one but the girl leaned in her sleep against him and for some indefinable reason, he also got a deadly glare from Eddie. And he still hasn't even done anything. This time couldn't his quills sting a possum tail because between the brothers and him was still the cooling box. So he tried to shake it off what came from the other side because probably this was just another of the craziness from the two striped ones.

* * *

 

“So see you. And Manny? I would maybe clean the car from the inside thoroughly. Otherwise, the sloth smell stays forever in there.” Joked Diego and went to the front door of the apartment building. He decided to climb the stairs, he hasn't been active athletic today. He wants to stay rather fit. Just because he soon will be a father, doesn't mean he can let himself go.

Well, Shira and he haven't it regulated yet, how they do it with the work and parenting. But they will equitable distribute it. Just because his wife becomes a mother, he doesn't want that she is always waiting for him at home.

He looked at his watch and that said it was almost nine. Although not really late, but perhaps his fiancée slept already. So he crept rather in the apartment. The lights of the city doesn't seem very bright through their windows, but his species doesn't need much in the dark to still see properly.

But when he hung his coat in the hall, he heard something that alarmed him.

His ears twitched as he listened a moment longer to be sure that it really came from that apartment. There was no doubt it was a sob from their bedroom. Thus he quickly but quietly stepped into this room. But as soon as he arrived there, the noise fell silent. Probably it was because his wife has noticed him. The saber-tooth stepped around the bed, that he was now on her side to look at the other big cat, but she turned away.

It was very difficult for him not to panic and ask her if something was wrong with their child. Because that just came to his mind.

“What's going on?" It took a while before she has decided to look at him. No matter how many times he saw her sad face, every time it almost broke his heart.

“Today I was on the beach and no, not alone. Peaches has agreed to take care of me. Later we met also the possums, Ruby and Louis." With every word from her, it seems that she got more angry. Thus he waited still and doesn't interrupted her.

“It could have been such a beautiful day but no such an idiot had to screw it up."

“What happened?" He sounded more serious than intended, but no matter who had made his wife so upset, the one should hope he never gets to meet him.

“Unfortunately someone from my past was on the beach."

“An ex-boyfriend?" Diego also doesn't know where that came from but he has a great desire to attack something.

“Well yes, you can call it that. Now calm down again before the idea comes to your mind, to sharpen your claws on the bed.” She wanted to touch him and he immediately slipped closer to her, so she doesn't have to move very much.

"But.."

"The baby is fine." Because she would feel it when something was wrong. Both of them needed only a little rest after that matter, nothing more. I was just so upset because I feel so weak right now. Thanks to the pregnancy, I can't always move the way I want." The saber-toothed tiger crawled further up, to lean his back on the head of the bed and took his wife into his arms.

"I am aware that is the most annoying thing for you in your situation. But it doesn't take long anymore and you can push the stroller around and beat up bad guys." He noticed that she smiled while he stroked soothingly over her stomach.

Both remained still a while in this position. At least until Shira commanded her tiger to change clothes because she smelled something sweetish on his shirt. She doesn't care what he has eaten, her stomach couldn't just stand it right now.


	5. Thoughtful And Crazy

„Well, he's nice." Peaches had finally made it, that Nathan meets her best friend. Nevertheless, the evening doesn't go out the way she has hoped. The boys haven't quarreled or anything, but she could say that something was in the air.

Perhaps the work made her boyfriend tired today and this hasn't mention it, because they would have to cancel the meeting again. Of course she always came over with clever excuses or she doesn't even said something to the molehog because it doesn't work out anyway.

But finally it has happened. Eventually she also would like to hear the opinion of Louis about her relationship partner. She doesn't really know why and perhaps the matter seems a bit weird, but it has always been important to her what the spined one thought.

On the other hoof, her best friend wouldn't also point to anyone and declare that this animal was bad for her. Sometimes there are even moments with him that made her wonder. There came questions up in her mind that she never has spoken aloud. Perhaps that was just better this way.

"Nice?" She asked the other mammoth. At the same time she went to the dishes, which remained from the movie night. Quickly she should forget the emerging thoughts.

“I'm honest, I haven't expected he would be like that." She was really a little confused now. How has her boyfriend, imagined Louis?

“What do you mean?" The molehog was already gone since an hour ago. He said it was getting late and he doesn't wants to strain their nerves for too long. The time told, it was only ten minutes past eleven. Before, when they were both single, they have sometimes taken the whole night to go through video games or movies. Now they were going to be adults. Honestly her little friend would never be a burden to her, no matter how long he stayed. But Nathan also lived here, so that would maybe be rude to him.

"You have indeed told much about him, but you never mentioned that he is a hedgehog.” He was only half correct, but she took it not so exact right now. The tone of male mammoth made her still to look up from the dishes.

“And I should have necessarily mention it because?"

"I just thought he would be more like your father. Because he's frequently takes care of you. Same way like the injury on the beach." The molehog has just wrapped a bandage around her arm. She doesn't know that recently this was a crime. When she thought about it she grinned briefly at the plates, so that the other couldn't see it. Louis was shorter than her and yet he sometimes behaved like the big brother.

"I don't really know what you want to hear from me. Do you make it a reproach to him that he is helpful or what?"

“No, of course not. I'm glad that you're in good paws when I'm not around." She wondered whether her opponent found it funny, that her best friend wasn't tall as her. If so, she would be angry. No matter how much she likes Nathan, this couldn't just make fun of her friends. After all, she doesn't do it vice versa.

"But?"

"He isn't a mammoth." Nathan was in fact afraid all the time that their relationship would break when the 'best boyfriend' returns from his trip. Perhaps Peaches really doesn't noticed it but sometimes she spoke continuously of the guy and her parents were no better there. Apart from her father. This showed really rare when he liked someone, but he always hung out with this saber tooth and a sloth. Admittedly, there were stranger things.

And of course he doesn't like it when his girlfriend was unhappy because she missed this Louis. But at the beginning he wasn't thinking that the two were so close friends. It could also be that he doesn't know anyone for so long. In his eyes, also should become the woman on your side the best friend.

As then the long-awaited meeting came, he couldn't just simply go with her because he doesn't wanted to play the third wheel. If he was honest, he thought that she was using that night to betray him and that within the next few days such sentences would fall like 'that with us works no more' or simply ' I kick you out of here'. When he ever uttered that out loud, it would also be a reason to break up, he was sure. Because Peaches was someone to be trusted. Nevertheless, he tried to avoid it repeatedly to meet this Louis, because he has expected a handsome mammoth and not a little prickly something. Now his girlfriend has to force him almost to a shared evening, which was actually ok.

"What?" She took him out of his thoughts, where he hoped that they were unreadable. Short he got a half angry, half thoughtfully glance.

"No. It's not like that. I wasn't thinking.."

"So you don't thought that something like a competitive struggle takes place here?" Nothing could help him here, he has to give up because he also doesn't want to be ignored for the rest of the weekend.

“You are right. But you have to admit, a little jealousy is allowed with your enthusiasm.” She rolled her eyes and threw the dish towel in his face.

"In a fight would Louis win anyway." Peaches grinned at him as he pulled the cloth down again.

“Because you would help him?"

"That maybe too, but think about how long he knows me already. Thus he knows some weaknesses of us mammoths." Nathan hasn't really thought on this and maybe he should simply be happy that everything had gone well. At least until now. But he shouldn't think of the difficult things that are before him.

"I know some weaknesses of you." He began to tease her, tossed the dish towel aside and was about to tickle his girlfriend. Smiling, she pushed him away from her.

“No. For the thing before, you dry the dishes. I'm going to take a shower now."

“All right. But after that I allowed to dry you up." Peaches gave him no answer, only winked at him before she disappeared to the bathroom.

He sighed and then went nevertheless to the dishes. Still he couldn't think of how he should ask his girlfriend if she wants to be his wife. He had the ring already in his pocket for some time. Rather, the good piece was by his workplace, so that the other mammoth couldn't find it here. Even if Peaches always claimed to be rather lazy in housework, you never found dust anywhere here. Or she always ordered secretly someone here when he wasn't at home. Curiously, the two women in his imagination were not really cleaning the apartment. But he shook it off for now, so he doesn't drop any of the glasses.

Also the talk with Manny or Manfred he has brought behind him and got an agreement. That wasn't really easy. He himself was a mammoth and the same size as Peaches father. If not even a bit taller. Nevertheless, he found it hard to address the old men with the first name. His wife was there quite different and sometimes he really wondered how the two had found each other. But that shouldn't be his problem. After all, he would just marry Peaches and not her parents.

Perhaps he really should make another meeting with just Louis alone. If he was the best friend, then he will surely know how to make the female mammoth happy. Of course, he could also ask the female friends for help, but he wasn't so sure if they can keep their mouths shut. If he has to be honest, he was glad that he has a girlfriend on the side that doesn't want to do such girly nights constantly. One of his buddies has captured one of this and the woman went out without the poor guy at least three times a week. For such things, he would be too jealous.

When he finally was done with all the dishes, he threw the towel carelessly aside and ran to the bathroom with a grin. That unfortunately was empty, then he was so preoccupied with his thoughts he doesn't noticed that Peaches already went to bed.

* * *

 

“Now don't be a grouch. With us you can go at least in here." Said Crash to Sid because the possums thought it would be a good idea to bring her troubled friend to a strip club. Actually Eddie wasn't really up for it, because he had an argument with Lorene in the afternoon today. The skunk mother claimed it would be his fault if her daughter gets on the wrong track in life. What went through the head of this woman? Finally he wasn't the father. Thus he denied the allegations immediately, because he saw the girl no longer since the trip to the beach.  
Perhaps Ruby had finally met friends at her age. Or even a good-looking young man. Finally she slowly came to the age when one starts to be interested in some other things. Then he thought for a moment. Maybe the alcohol was to blame, but he couldn't remember now how old the young skunk was.

“Brother, what are you pulling that face for? You could frighten someone away with it. Come on guys, we get there in the corner. From there you have a good view over the whole place.”

“Doesn't sound like you're been here before." Noticed Sid and doubted that this was something for his age. All the women looked so young or they had really good makeup. But by this light conditions his eyes could also be fooled.

"Is always so dark in here?"

“Now sit down, both of you, stop nagging and tell the nice lady here what you want to drink. It's on me." Eddie rolled his eyes, because he hasn't much from the offer then they're living from the same money. Nevertheless, he doesn't complain and tried to enjoy the evening. Perhaps he even managed to find someone acceptable here, with which he could have a bit of other fun. Or he just gets drunk and looks at the beauties they offer here.

The music became also a little better later and so he decided to wander a bit to the dance floor. Simply sitting in his chair, drinking and gawking, was too boring for him. His companions haven't even noticed that he crept away, although he called something to his brother. This was probably too busy to persuade a lady, while Sid had probably been drinking too much, because that stare from him was scary even for this place.

The further he pushed his way through all the other animals, the less clothes wore all around him. You can't see everything that well from this corner over there, here he has a much better view. Although he heard the word strip club earlier, but he was sure some couples were doing more than just putting the clothes off.

Suddenly the possum thought he saw someone familiar in the crowd. He shook his head to avert his eyes, because his brain played tricks with him or something similar. Surely he wasn't really that drunk, but it could also be the heat that made him slowly tired.

So he searched the toilet, to splash a little water on his face. Although it helps a little, but he still couldn't see more clearly as he walked to the dance floor again. He even pondered a moment, what he wanted here. His stomach began to rebel and he quickly ran back to where he just came from to vomit.

Oddly, Eddie couldn't remember to have eaten something that he can't tolerate now. Again he threw water on his face and that until this felt cooler. Probably the mayonnaise on the sandwich wasn't fresh anymore, he thought as he remembered only his evening snack, which was to blame for his current discomfort. But this had to be out now, but the strange feeling doesn't subside.

Again, among other animals, it all seemed more like a slow silent film. Although he still heard the music, but it somehow was quite far away. The flickering lights are becoming less and also the dancers and otherwise employed gradually disappeared from the area. A spotlight was cast on a curtain, because apparently a real show has been necessary now. However, he couldn't look for long, because he found the light too dazzling. So he thought it would be better to go back to his brother and the sloth.

If he only knew where the two sat. Except for a few flashing lights, which were probably cellphones, he could hardly see. Eddie should seriously ask in the bar what they mix in their drinks. Because his first drink wasn't so strong. Actually, he wanted to stick with something easy so he can look around for company.

After an eternity, he found what he sought. Sighing, he flopped down on this square large pillow. Now where he was able to hang around here, he was feeling a little better. Even though his body felt a little numb.

“Dude, where have you been for nearly two hours?" Why spoke Crash so loud? He was sitting right next to him. So there was no reason to yell like that.

"Dancing." He answered only and couldn't believe that he really was so long away. Now he also noticed that his brother has an odd expression on the face. And it wasn't the one that he could see when he played the other possum a prank. It was more the something-really-sick-goes-on-here-glance.

His opposite formed more words, but the meaning doesn't quite reached him. Maybe his eyes could help him now. So he turned to Sid. This seemed somehow bewildered but that sloth doesn't looked over here, but forward. Then he remembered that there was a show running. Maybe the light wasn't as bright anymore and he could also look now. So he blinked a few times, then it actually worked.

"Drink." He then said dry, because his throat felt as if any moisture disappeared from it. His brother was already on the spot and handed him a glass in the paw. He was a little glad that it was only water. On the other side he would have liked something strong, because his imagination played him just a very stupid prank. But it doesn't matter how many times he closed his eyes and opened them again, the image on the dance floor doesn't change. There just were three young women which should probably heat up the store with some live music. Two girls played instruments and he thought it was a big fiddle thing and a flute. But he wasn't an expert. Rather, he was interested in the lady who stands in the front and sang. Because she was a well-known young skunk. Abruptly he forgot his discomfort and stood up again. I doesn't matter if he has claimed he wouldn't be the father, someone has to drum a few serious words into this girl. A moment later, he was surprised because normally he doesn't have those things in his mind.

“What are you doing now?" Came it more clearly from Sid, but he wasn't really listening.

"Brother don't do anything stupid!" Cried Crash and still tried to hold him back. But he pushed away the appendage and went ahead to the singer, who was actually too young for here. She should be in bed at home and learn in the morning or whenever school starts today. Lorene said he was a bad example. Now he wondered what she was for a mother when she doesn't even noticed that her daughter did such things at night.

But that doesn't matter now, he first has to bring the girl out of here and put more clothes on her. For shame any kind was no time. Besides, he asked himself why he still has such a feeling, but he should be really more angry. It was strange that his anger made him sober somehow, than he doesn't even wavered until the envisaged target.

“Young lady!" He began furious and when she saw him, she had the same shocked face as he previously. But she shouldn't probably be appalled by the fact that a grown man like him visited such stores. She backed away when he was just about to grab her. Too bad that in front of the dance floor was a small step that he could previously mastered, but now totally overlooked. So quickly followed that he kissed the ground. The anger and the adrenaline rush from before disappeared so quickly. Suddenly his body was glad that he lay on floor because everything turned itself off.

"Eddie, is something wrong?" He still heard the slightly panicked voice from Ruby before everything went black.

When he opened his eyes again, he sat right in front of the dance floor, but no one was here anymore. Everything seems deserted. He wondered if this was a trick from his brother again. But then reappeared this headlamp which threw light on a curtain. Music and a voice rang out. Without thinking about it, he now knew what awaited him. The skunk girl stepped forward and began to sing her song.

He has to admit that her voice was pleasant. But why she has to start a career at such a place? At least no one else was staring at her and she now wore more clothing. Once the thought was finished, she slowly began to come to him and dropped her cover.

“Do you like what you see?" She inquired with a teasing smile.

“No. Certainly not and now put the shirt back on!" But she ignored him and came closer. Eddie shouldn't endure this longer. So he searched for his cell phone to call Lorene. This one went clearly too far. Unfortunately, he doesn't found the stupid thing. Had he lost it somewhere again?

While he wanted to get up, to start the search for it, he noticed that this wasn't possible. His disobedient body simply doesn't move from the spot. By looking around for help, Ruby came back into his gaze. She stood only a step away from him and the only thing she still wore was her underwear. He swallowed and forced himself to close his eyes. This here doesn't really happened, he repeated again and again in his mind, because it couldn't be the reality. Ruby was young and innocent. She would never voluntarily put such things on that made her look like so female. His own thoughts got more confusing.

“Stop lying to yourself and come here." She demanded from him now but he shook his head violently.

“I don't think so. Who are you that you have the impression you can boss me around?” But his tone doesn't deter her in the slightest. She came unasked ever closer, until she was standing right in front of him and leaned forward. Grinning, he was looked at and he felt her breath on his face. Apparently she wanted to whisper something to him. It was too quiet, because he doesn't understand it the first time. If this was something perverted, then he doesn't really want to know it. Unfortunately, he still doesn't know how he managed to escape from the bizarre scene. Maybe it was all just a stupid dream, because his subconscious wants to tell him something.

"Eddie, wake up." That made really no sense to him and suddenly she shook him. This became stronger, he wanted to say she should quit it.

“Paws off!" But his opponent was suddenly no longer Ruby, but Crash. He was no longer in his place in the club. Much more he lay with his head on something warm. Short he rubbed his eyes and hoped that this strange show was finally over and he had just overslept. When he looked up he saw the skunk girl again. This even had a worried face on. Or he was imagining that. Thus he sat up in a hurry than he lay on her lap. Curiously, he doesn't want and couldn't look at Ruby right now. She certainly knew nothing from his dream, yet he was embarrassed, because the images were still in his head.

"Are you all right?"

"I'll be when your mother picks you up from here."

"What? You can't do that!" And she dared even to hold him by the arm, but he shook her off in a cold way.

“And if I can. I've already tipped her number in.” Threw he furiously into the room and walked to the door to go out.

After that, everything went relatively quickly. He was shouted at from two skunks and the two were arguing with each other. It was really not his business but the stuff in his body made that he also mentioned some arguments to this talk.

One thing led to another quickly. In this case, the word boarding school led to a short silence. Actually, he was sure that he said military school, but Lorene probably knew better what she has to do here. Then came a little cruel thing from which he had to turn away immediately, because he hated it and doesn't even know why. Ruby began to cry quietly.

Unfortunately, everything went not as planned, because normally she calmed down eventually. Not this time. The girl suddenly began to tell in front of her mother what she thought about him. Probably she got also something into the drink. At least he thought so. Before Lorene could mention something or attack him, Ruby got to an an end with her speech so that she cried out loud with a almost broken voice, that she hated him.

So these were all the details, which he still remembered, because he was now finally in his bed. However sleep wouldn't catch up so easily with him. And he was really tired and finished from all that. But he should see the evening from the positive side. Someone certainly had put something secretly into his glass because this one wanted to take him away literally. Today he wouldn't even been picky.

* * *

 

Elsewhere two mammoths slept comfortably in their bed. Manny was lying down later because there came an old action movie in the Tv, which he hasn't seen in a long time. In addition, he probably shouldn't have eaten so much chips, because it let him burp repeatedly now. What caused that his wife offered only her back to cuddle because she doesn't like the smell of onions. But with the things he could brush his teeth as often as he wanted, the smell still rose from his throat. The male mammoth was sure that Ellie would throw that stuff tomorrow even in the garbage, just so he doesn't took it in anymore in the evenings. He couldn't help it that they made them so delicious.

Abruptly, he heard a noise and he let out a irritated sounded growl because he was just before falling asleep. It was a cell phone that rang here in the middle of the night and became louder. He doesn't even thought about to make a move now. The mammoth next to him couldn't simply let the thing alone. Because that was Ellie's device anyway and this reached after it. Apparently she was asleep solid, because it took her a while to see and understand what the display showed.

"We have to get up." She explained then with a slight smile and sat up.

"Why now? No matter what it is, it can wait until tomorrow." But his wife moved already the blanket away from him.

“Diego wrote that their child is just in a hurry to come to the world."

“Has he written it with an exclamation mark?" Ellie doesn't really listened because she was in the bathroom, which was one room further, to freshen herself up.

“If he has what? Is this again an in-joke among you men? Anyhow it doesn't matter to me now. Stand up already!"

“3:35. So it's probably going to be a morning animal just like the mom." He talked to himself because his wife couldn't hear it anyway. But whining wouldn't help now, his saber-tooth pal was there for him, when Peaches was born and he will return this favor. He has even found a shirt, only the pants doesn't quite fit him. Has he gained weight last night and instantly a few pounds?

“Are you already out of the bed? I'll make a strong coffee." She grinned and then remained still in the doorway. Also she turned the light on what he really wanted to avoid. Until now, the brightness of the bathroom was enough to find something here.

"What?"

"I knew that you like the floral pattern." She jokingly pointed downwards. Manny looked in the same direction to see what was so funny about him. Then he was also aware of why he couldn't put on his pants, because in the dark he tried to get Ellie's skirt over his hips. Luckily he could drop the garment fast enough before his wife even had the idea to make a photo with the mobile phone. But she kept herself no longer busy with him and was the first who goes down. Probably in order to provide the promised hot drink and some breakfast.

When Manfred finally reached the bottom, the other mammoth held out already a plastic box and a thermal flask. Also Ellie has the car keys with her and he got no more time for anything else, because he was already pushed out the door. She sat quickly on the driver's side, but he needed first to adjust the seat because otherwise he wouldn't fit in. He noted that he got a annoyed look.

“If we are not there in time, the baby will certainly forgive us." He told her while he finally got in. While his wife stepped on the gas pedal, he remembered why he let her drive so rare when they were traveling together.

At least his cup had a lid on it, otherwise the hot broth would have landed determined in his lap. That would indeed have made him awake, but he preferred the usual alternative. He sipped a little of the coffee, then opened the box. At least it was worth once to stand up for this food, because he got sweet and savory muffins served for breakfast.

“Your backing is one reason why I could never part from you." He bit with relish in a blueberry muffin.

"I love you too, honey." She said, because she knew he only made fun. Because she knew his sense of humor for years.

"Would you like one?" There were eight of them, but only when he saw the last two, he remembered to offer his wife some. But the things were just too small for a mammoth stomach.

“No thanks. I have eaten some at home, while you went through my clothes closet to think about what you could put on." The car stopped at a traffic light.

“Just wait you.." He began to tease his wife a little for this sentence, by tickling her from the side.

"Stop it, Manny." She laughed and pushed his hooves aside again.

“I don't think that the insurance takes it, if we have an accident because you had to sexually molest me."

“So you're lucky that we sit in the car. Otherwise I would certainly have attacked you." Ellie waved him off smiling before she focused back on the road.

"Again a red light." After twenty minutes, the driver looked slightly annoyed by the flashing traffic signs. Manny stroked her short over the thigh to calm her down after he drank his last sip of the stimulant.

“Take it easy. Should the child already be born when we arrive, you can still see it anyway.”

“I know, but I'm a little worried. Shira has namely told me that the doctors said that a pregnancy at her age isn't always harmless. She doesn't really wanted to hide it from Diego, but she also couldn't burden him further."

“You've also noticed that he is a bit under high voltage lately." She nodded, but doesn't looked away from the road.

“Everything will be fine. And every father goes a bit nervous and mad the first time. Diego couldn't certainly do it worse than me." He took her hooves in his to hold it as long until the traffic light showed green again.

“Let us arrive first. I'm sure we will find nothing more than a big cat which plucked his fur." A nod followed from the driver and then silence came between them. The male mammoth found it not good, when his wife got too many worry lines, something like that was always his thing.

“So..uhm, because you have a special bond with our daughter as a wife, I wanted to know whether you noticed something on her." At least that was a change of subject, but he couldn't quite put his thoughts openly, because he hasn't told Ellie much from the man-to-man conversation. Of course, it was clear to him that she will be over the moon when Peaches marries. But a little something in his head told him there was a thing that he had overlooked. The women also have their secrets, which he doesn't necessarily have to know.

However, now he has to play a guessing game why Nathan wanted to marry his daughter in such a hurry. Whereby the guy doesn't want to bring it over the stage that quickly because Peaches still hasn't told them such news. Or has she even declined the proposal? But he also would have heard that from Ellie.

“Manny although we are her parents, but if she still wants a new piercing or tattoo, then we can't forbid that anymore."

“No, I was going rather in a different direction there." Nevertheless, he wondered just what his partner meant by another one. The only thing he found acceptable, are earrings. Manfred shook his head, because he shouldn't discuss that now.

“We especially can't forbid her such piercings and I have also read that it.."

“Stop that! Don't speak of that anymore!" If there is something that he never wanted to hear, it was the word coitus and his daughter in one sentence. His girl was innocent and would never do such things.

Ellie rolled her eyes, because she has forgotten that her husband still lives behind the moon by such subjects. Nevertheless, it still wasn't clear to her what he just wants to know now.

“What do you mean then?" When her passenger had calmed down and took the hooves from his ears, she tried it again. Also she heard even how he briefly breathed in and out. Since that it was almost clear, that it seemed again to be one of those matters that he too overvalued.

The trip would still take at least ten minutes anyway and so they might get faster over the time. Moreover Ellie was sure she would get handed a few sedative voluntarily when she entered the hospital with a raging mammoth.

“Is the stork knocking on our daughters door?" Manny inquired seriously from her but she couldn't help but burst out laughing. First was assumed that she wants a child and now Peaches was the next one in the line.

Or does Nathan wanted to talk with her husband exactly because this needed some advice about this news? Her good mood passed away at that thought because the two young mammoths were standing just at the position where they had to decide whether to stay together or separate. In relationships there comes the point when you know each other well enough and also went through some difficult things. Then one begins to ask, if they would like to stay longer with this partner or perhaps share the whole life with them.

Although she doesn't know what was going on in Nathan's head, but she was sure her daughter has such thoughts at the moment. That could explain why Peaches wasn't so talkative by their last calls.

"Ellie?" The mode of thinking from her man totally was on her already too, yet she should answer truthfully.

"I don't know."


	6. Happy Things And Stress

"Do you like it?" The saber-tooth tigress was asked as she entered the beautifully designed room. Someone has really done great work here, she thought first to herself.

After birth, they found both relatively quickly a suitable small house for their new family. Shira wasn't so picky like her fiancé. Main thing for her that there was a little garden at the house so they had some greenery around them. Diego even ensured quickly that everything was set up. Of course, all their friends helped and so she announced that everyone was invited to a garden party. Only the weather wasn't lately in the sunny mood and it was still summer. But no one gave them the blame if they move the celebration to another day. Ellie even wanted to know how she could stand around so many animals after the birth.

“Honestly, no." The other saber-tooth turned scared to her as Shira answered him, than now he finished the room for their child and his wife just noticed that she doesn't like it. But when he saw her face, he knew that she was joking.

“Of course I like it, but my opinion doesn't matter here. Finally, your son is the one who has to like it.” After the sentence, she looked down at the baby, who was all the while in her arms and probably still considered whether it wanted to be awake or should go back to sleep.

Shira has to grin when she again remembered the scene where her opposite had the little one for the first time in his paws. First he just stared an eternity to the child, as if he couldn't proper believe what he was seeing. Then really ran a tear of joy over the face of the tough guy and before she could do or say anything, she felt his arms around her. When he was so close to her, he whispered to her that he loved her very much. Of course, she can understand that he was afraid beforehand that something may be wrong. If it were up to her she would have liked to do this without the abrupt pain in the middle of the night.

Before her child was in the world, she found it a bit annoying, that he protected her like that. However, now she was happy for it because she needed a little more rest. Otherwise, both of them were fine and they didn't have to stay too long in the hospital.

“Diego, if you wish to hold him, you can just do it. You remember that you are the father, right?" She said slightly amused, because the long staring went on at home. Her man was either in front of her or looked at the child when it slept. The mammoth mother said to her on the phone yesterday that something like that could happen. The males needed a little longer to capture the reality. It was good to have a friend like Ellie at such a time. Although she wasn't a saber-toothed tiger, but she could help with many things. And when this was done with only one piece of advice it was enough to her sometimes.

"I'm glad that he looks a lot like you." Again, she looked down at her son. She now knew that he will be later more like Diego. Because the fur color was almost the same, just a little brighter. But a few black stripes mingled already there between, she was curious to see how the pattern would develop.

“He has your beautiful eyes."

“They can still discolor and now finally take him on the arm. We aren't in a museum, where it's forbidden to touch things." So she handed the little one over, without waiting even for a response of the other. Eventually, her fiance had to get used to it, that he once in a while has to look after the child only by himself. Although she doesn't want to get sick or something similar. But you can't choose stuff in life like that. She also needs some photos for the photo album.

Maybe the father hasn't noticed it yet, but the baby liked him much more. It was just too cute when the little paws tried playfully to grasp Diego. Now Shira was the one who began to stare.  
Thus, she shook her head and explained that she made a bite to eat, because she slowly has enough of light food. Luckily Diego had thought of it and so he filled the refrigerator and remaining stock with enough food. She also found he perhaps exaggerated it a bit, because even if they ate properly from now on more than three times a day, they needed months nevertheless to the consume this. At least a she could be choosy today. Still, her son will soon be hungry too, so she shouldn't stay too long in the kitchen.

But only vegetables wouldn't fed her up. If she was honest, she had a strong desire for meat since she left the hospital. She wasn't after the fish replacement, but rather the original. It was impossible to tell that her fiance. All these years, she lived well without this stuff. Demanded a pregnancy and a childbirth so much from her body that her primal instincts got awakened? Certainly not. Otherwise she would have had other thoughts when their friends were here. Of them she would never think that they are food. Finally, they lived in a civilized world for a long time. At least a part. Her self from the past would have just gone to a ruthless butcher who got her anything for money. When the memories came up again, her last meal wants also to do this. She doesn't knew it otherwise back then and now she felt sick that she got so low to do something like this. Also because Shira never found out where the meat came from that she bought in this street.

She shook off the images. At her new life with Diego she got more than what she has ever hoped for. It would be really silly of her to abandon everything just because of such a trifle. If her fiance is out of the house and her little one sleeps, she will search on the net for a solution to the matter.

* * *

 

“Does that mean you want to leave me?" Peaches really wondered if she was such a bad girlfriend. Finally she tried everything, so he stayed with her. Of course, she noticed that he was a little strange lately, but she thought that was related to his work.

At the same time she also wanted to know how crazy the week could still get. Because first her parents wanted to know if she is expecting a child and then Nathan made a proposal to her out of the blue. It was impossible for her to respond immediately to that. Finally, something like this should be carefully considered. She doesn't even know if she ever wanted to marry, because she thought she could still live with someone that she loved without a wedding.

As if she doesn't have enough confusing thoughts in her mind lately. Now, only two days later her boyfriend simply wanted to push her off. At least she saw it like that. And that's only because she doesn't want to put the ring immediately on her finger. The timing was also chosen quite inconvenient, because they were at a sort of reunion. What more escalated into a party to which everyone could come, who was somehow connected with this school. How can let animals themselves go like this in a few years? But that wasn't her business. For her it was partly also not easy.

Her opposite sighed and then moved closer to her. Surely that he doesn't have to talk louder.

“You're a nice girl and in other ways it would have worked really well with us. But I'm not the one you want.”

"What are you talking about?" She was really confused. Slowly, he touched her neck. At first she thought he was going to touch her cheek as usual. However that doesn't happened this time. Nathan pushed the collar of her top part to the side until he saw the necklace she always wore around her neck. Suddenly he quickly grabbed it and pulled until he has everything with the pendant in the hooves.

“Hey, what was that for?" A little annoyed she went to him to get the jewel back, but he doesn't made it so easy for her.

“When I gave you something you have never worn it. You said you weren't the type for it. Yet you still put this on every morning. Now I finally know why.” Peaches was still confused because she doesn't understand a bit of what was going on here. Or what the necklace had to do with their relationship. In addition Nathan hasn't given her so much jewelry. Just one pair of earrings. She found them nice, but they weren't suitable to wear for everyday.

“You've never really searched for someone. Much more you wanted just to have a replacement, until your true boyfriend is back on your side.” Each sentence of him brought just more confusion up in her.

“What's that supposed to mean? Now just give me the pendant back. It's bad enough that you have just torn it from my neck.” She scolded him but the male mammoth looked elsewhere. She followed his gaze and knew what he was going to do now. Because they both weren't far away from the school swimming pool.

“No wait! Don't do that!" But it was too late. He lunged out and she could only see how her necklace disappeared in the basin. Furious, she turned to him.

“Have you completely lost your mind? What was that for?!"

“Do you understand me now? You're in love with the guy, which gave you this necklace. All the time you are looking only for men who are like him, because you can't have him for some reason.”

“That's bullshit!" Perhaps her counterpart had been drinking, that he now gave such crap out. School party or not, the mammoth girls have certainly also smuggled alcohol in here.

"Just think about it." With that her boyfriend just went away. Actually it was Peaches duty to run after him and say that he was wrong and that she really loved him. But all she could think about now was how she got her necklace out of the water again. It couldn't be that Nathan was right with what he said. No, it simply couldn't be the truth. It would make her life only more complicated.

She saw that other former classmates just wanted to come in her direction. Probably their theater was partially observed. Nevertheless, she just doesn't want to talk to anyone right now. So she went up to the side entrance, where she would get more quickly to the toilets. Unfortunately Louis was suddenly in her way, when she opened the door.

“So there you are. Listen the...Now wait a moment!" She pushed just past him, because he couldn't also help her in this situation.

"Not now, Louis."

"So what's going on? With me you can always..” Probably he could read her face too well.

“No, I don't wish to talk with you about it!" She said aloud and then ran up the stairs. She knew that the molehog hasn't deserved this. But she just wanted to be left alone now. Peaches couldn't even go home because she would certainly find her now ex-boyfriend there. Disadvantages when living together. So far they have never really quarreled. Or they made it more to go out of the way of an hard argument.

Peaches was glad that no one was in the corridor to the men's room. So she could stop fighting back her tears. The stupid thing was, she doesn't even know why she exactly cried.  
This morning she thought that her life slowly got to the point where everything was alright and now she hid in the toilet for guys because she has seen Steffie with the girls standing around in front of the other toilet. She really could do it without them in this moment because these mammoths were never good in cheering someone up.

In addition, she rather wants to be alone right now and because the event was on the other side of the school, nobody would run over here.

* * *

 

Now he did it again. Eddie would like to throw his phone away, because he couldn't stop to look at the display. Slowly he should be used to it that he will not get annoying messages of some skunk anymore. Lorene surely took her daughter's phone as punishment. What he more than advocated. Nevertheless, something inside him told that he should check whether the girl was well and if she still hated him. They had already done a lot of nonsense together, but she never said that.

Teenagers tend to dramatic outbursts, he thought. At the same time he was thinking to see a doctor. Perhaps he was just sick and the whatever-it-is infected his brain already. That would explain the stupid thoughts.

Yet the boredom started slowly again in his life. Well, he and his brother were distracted for a while, because Ellie has ordered them to assist by new move in of the saber-toothed tigers. Working with the meaning of lifting heavy things, wasn't one of their favorite activities, but what could they do against her sister.

While they were hauling all the stuff, they could besides also throw a look at Diego Junior. The child has really hit it hard already in life, because it looked really similar like the father. Unfair he also found that he and his brother weren't allowed to do a color battle, but Peaches and Louis was granted this fun. After that, this Nathan suddenly disappeared and they had to work more. This guy was pretty weird. Sometimes even he wondered if that was the right one for their niece. Or Peaches always liked such men, but doesn't showed it previously.  
Now it was no matter anymore because they had brought everything behind them. Moreover Shira promised that she will soon throw a party to return the favor.

That will certainly not happen soon, because the sky darkened and led to the conclusion that it starts raining again. Such weather also brought them just the usual customers who wanted to have their magazines or cigarettes. But it shouldn't matter to him, so he hasn't to chat for long with others.

This guy which clearly development interest for Crash, also walked more often in their store. Unfortunately, he could then show his best side as often as he wanted. Even as twin brother he wasn't accepted as a substitute. That doesn't improved his mood. He found the other possum should just get involved in the adventure or whatever the guy wants from his brother. Because this was persistent and would certainly come back until Crash shows himself. Because he always disappeared quickly when he saw the animal through the window glass. Or the guy lost the desire for these games someday.

“Just go out with him." Eddie uttered and the other striped one dared to occur when the shop was empty again.

“Ok, when you go out with your beloved Ruby." Came it back and that made him a bit angry. He put away his cell phone and looked over to the other.

“She is simply a child with delusions.”

“You then also have one at night. I can constantly hear you through the wall.” His brother then grinned at him with a knowing look. As if he can look into my thoughts, Eddie thought and hoped, that this is never will be possible.

“I'm not the one who hides permanently when the door merely creaks. What is so wrong with him that you escape every time?"

“Because you were so high, you only have caught the half in this club." Crash said in his face. Until now, he has tried to hush up the matter. Not even Ellie knew of what had happened. With Sid they were both not quite sure if this has simply forgotten, because he drank too much or doesn't want to tell it.

“Someone has tipped something into my drink."

"Actually I don't care what you do. As long as you don't overdo it." Then Eddie rolled his eyes.

“Oh, my brother, the moralist. How often do you still should go to church because they couldn't handle all your sins at once?” But that was ignored and then he heard that this visitor who came frequently here was also in the club. On the evening this followed them and tried to persuade his brother again on a date, but probably that worked not so well. As Crash preferred to talk with one of the women, it should have been rabidly, but his interlocutor could twist the truth as well because he hasn't seen anything from that.

At the end of it, the stalker flew out the door and his brother started since then to avoid the guy even more. Surely the admirer just would like to chat normally for once. Or even this was to blame, that he felt so badly on this night, because the drink with the extra something was actually for the other possum. They were simply mixed up by the light. For outsiders it wasn't uncommon. If that with the drink was the truth, then the guy should prepare himself for something. Although they were two chaotic animals, yet others weren't allowed to exaggerate the jokes on them. He was the only one privileged enough to play the other such lousy tricks.

“Then why don't you report him for harassment?" His brother came again with an apologetic smile and he immediately knew what was going on.

“You can't do that, huh?"

"Well, not really. Do you remember the pretty bunny woman?” Yes, she came to his mind and he should have bet on it that she was forgiven.

“Who is her husband?" Eddie asked even if he doesn't really needed an answer.

"The police director."

“Brother you're sometimes so lucky in such things."

* * *

 

Outraged stormed Louis in the rather abandoned men's room in the hope to get some peace. But the girl who followed him doesn't care if she enters this room. Actually he was rather looking for Peaches. Earlier he wanted just to give her a bit time, so she can organize her thoughts. Although he doesn't really know exactly what has happened, but after he couldn't find Nathan, he just assumed, the two have been arguing about something.

The search for his friend remained so far without success. Probably the mammoth was already home and came to terms with her boyfriend. Slowly he has really to stop to worry about something like that. A couple is arguing sometimes, which was normal. But there seems to be no matter how old he gets, he would always be concerned when Peaches looked sad.

“There is nothing that could stop you, hm?" He now asked his chaser.

“Just because you escape in here doesn't mean our conversation is over." Ruby had no intention to leave the discussion just hang like that. Finally, they made progress. At least she saw it in that way.

“What I don't understand is, why you get involved yourself in matters that is none of your business?” It also doesn't come to his mind why Lorene allowed her daughter to go to this party if this was actually grounded. Because of what he doesn't know, but by this skunk, it had to happen sooner or later.

“First, you are my friends and secondly, I can't watch this tragedy anymore." Explained his interlocutor as if she knew everything better and leaned on the tiles left to the entrance door.

“Tragedy? Do you have any idea what it's like to be in such a situation? Just because YOU think that we're a good match, I don't simply destroy my years of friendship to her.” Ruby sighed annoyed because she slowly was tired of it too. Why saw the molehog a barrier in it that his beloved was a mammoth? Or perhaps he was ashamed, to expose it to love a bigger animal? No, it couldn't be that. Anyway she wanted to use the latest information to drive the spined one to a confession.

“I don't understand what prevents you from trying it? If it doesn't work you two can be friends again."

“That's just it. I don't know if I could do that, or whether she still wants it. I know her for so long now and find it better to be friends as losing her completely.” Suddenly he heard a noise from the cabins.

“Then you even want to play her best man, if she marries such an idiot one day?” She mentioned exactly that because playing the best man could come sooner than thought. The skunk overheard not often her mother's phone calls because she spoke mostly about uninteresting stuff. As the words Peaches and wedding fell, she got her ears in because she knew what that means. Dared this Nathan really the step now, then she also knew what would follow soon. The peach colored mammoth will go to the best friend to talk about this with him. Sometimes the large animal was so predictable that she wondered why Louis wasn't using this to his advantage. Quite simply, the prickly guy had a too nice character. Perhaps the mammoth liked him simply as a friend because of that. Still Ruby believed that the molehog also has other sites.

“Yes I would, if it makes her happy. What do you know of such things? You are still a child and you have never been seriously in love. So don't give me a lecture of it!" He forgot the sound he heard and threw a little cold water on his face to calm down again. The skunk actually managed to make him angry on the easy way. Somewhere she was also right, he couldn't just ignore the issue the rest of his life. But now he found that it wasn't the best time to think about it.

"And if you get the idea to enlighten Peaches about all of this, then I will never forgive you." Thus he just walked out, as he had come in and left the girl back. This rolled her eyes on it and glanced in the mirror before she left the room with a sigh. After what the molehog had said she wouldn't follow him or will talk to him soon.

She was no longer a child. Why want nobody notice that? From her mother she would always hear it she knew that. But why from her friends? She was aware that Louis just said it, because she annoyed him with her views of the things.

Nevertheless, she couldn't understand that he hasn't even once tried it in all the years to explain that to Peaches. Finally, she wasn't the kind of an animal that would reject someone in a cruelly way. And who knows, maybe the mammoth even had the same feelings. Ruby was sure that she must have thought about it at least once.

In the corridor, she looked through a window to the outside. Slowly it began to rain and it somehow fits her mood. At least she could use the weather as an excuse when she arrived late at home. Her mother gets mad as well because Louis wasn't with her anymore, but it doesn't matter to her now.

How should the molehog know if she was in love? He never asked her something like that. Even if he had she knew that the chosen one wouldn't like it if she told everyone about this.  
That she got back her phone for the party, wasn't really helpful, because the urge to send a message or dial a specific number, grew stronger with every moment. After she has done such a scene in front of this club, the possum surely ignores her even more than usual. Ruby was just so angry that she was pushed over to her mother and so she has to give up her new job. Luckily, she still got some money for this evening. She also could keep that earned money, but it came to a bank account for now where she couldn't reach it for a while. Her mother thought again for sure she wanted to spend it for drugs or something like that.

That with the money wasn't so bad, but she has to embark on a compromise. Either she goes to a summer school or immediately to the next boarding school. So the first one sounded more enticing, and also she needs to improve her grades after it. That means to go to school every day again. The girl sighed, because now that there are no other students were staying here in the corridors it was much more bearable.

Why was she actually here? She doesn't even likes that kind of party's. Just meeting and talking nonsense has never been her thing. She probably just wanted a bit time to go out from home. Since the summer holidays began the house arrest wasn't an easy matter anymore. Actually, she could just sneak out when her mother went to work, but she doesn't want to make her upset more. A boarding school would be indeed a change of school, but maybe there were just idiots too. It would then annoy her even more than her current situation.


	7. Solve It With Messages

“So? Is there a reason why you kidnap me?" Diego was a little upset that his buddy took him to an unknown journey. Although he likes such men trips, but he wanted to spend as much time as possible with his family now. Especially Manny had to understand that.

"It's because of what Ellie has told me." Tried the mammoth to explain the thing here.

“If you two have problems, you may want to contact a consultant."

“That's not what I meant. Our marriage needs no third party who doesn't know us." If there was nothing to discuss, the other shouldn't react so irritated, thought the saber tooth.

"In addition, it would make little sense to bring you out of the town because of that." Now that really confused him.

“Just say where this is going. Then I have no idea what that means here." Because the big cat wanted answers. And there already was the sign on the roadside that indicated that they left the city.

“We don't want to do anything illegal or something like it? I mean, I wouldn't be really against..”

“No. Actually, I don't know what to expect.” Said Manny a bit thoughtful.

“You driving here! There you should know it."

“As Shira was in the hospital, you really haven't heard anything.” The big cat wondered then what he might have missed. The most important was to see his child and that his fiancee was all right.

“My wife was certainly foresighted and has also talked to the doctor.”

“About what? Is there anything wrong with Shira?” Diego wondered whether she has hidden something because she doesn't want to be a burden.

“Calm down. It's nothing serious, or at least nothing that we didn't get back together. Ellie thought already that something could happen. Since you two actually are predators.." And so he got explained everything and the big cat was a little ashamed that he hasn't even thought of it himself. He lived for so long with his friends in the area, that he no longer knew it otherwise.

“Do our women know where we're going?" He inquired at the end as his buddy had finished the speech.

“Actually, Ellie wanted to drive herself or come at least. But I think that's a great chance for a men's trip."

“Did you hit him unconscious because of that?" Diego pointed back to the seat, where a motionless sloth was.

“He absolutely wanted to come. He also stood up earlier because of it. But he was hardly five minutes in the car and he fell asleep." This was once again typical of the sloth, Diego thought and pulled out his cell phone, because the driver had to concentrate on the road anyway. He has even missed a message.

'Sorry that you were kidnapped.' He read and frankly, he was no longer angry for it.

'Why didn't you say anything?' He wrote back and it doesn't take long until he got an answer.

'I even wouldn't have thought that the recent events would tug so much at my body.' She probably thought because women frequently have children, she also could do that in a easy way. Diego felt a little disappointed, but not because of his partner, but of himself. Whether male or female, he was still what is called a predator. Thus, he should have thought much earlier about such things.

'I can understand if you are mad at me now.' The next text came and reminded him that he had forgotten to reply.

'Of course I'm not mad at you. I also could have thought of that. Let's discuss that more later. Do I get at least an indication from you where my trip goes?'

'Ellie probably hasn't even told her husband more details. Perhaps she thought he wouldn't do it if she reveals too much.'

'So we really do something illegal?' The saber-toothed tiger became a little nervous at the thought to get meaty food with his buddies. It wasn't like it, that he wouldn't do almost everything for his fiancee. But maybe that was going too far here. He has endured it long without this bloody stuff. Diego doesn't really want to know what happens when he has this smell of fresh meat in the nose again. Would he think about the past, before he met his friends and yearn for this life? He quickly shook his head, as the next message arrived.

'Do you really think a mammoth is so kind and sends you to a butcher?' Why doesn't learned his girlfriend to use these smileys? If she wrote something like that, he never knew whether she was serious or just kidding. But he also doesn't believe that Ellie would let them go to such a shop.

'It should be a kind of substitute product. I first wanted to go myself. But you know, I've got something that can't get away from me.' Then Shira sent him a picture of their son. It felt like that he already was too long away from the little one.

“How long must she do that?"

"You have to ask her.." Only then he realized that the sleeper from behind, has also looked on his cell phone. He quickly pulled this out of sight, because Sid really shouldn't stare at his wife after she was nursing the baby. You couldn't see much, but for him that was enough to give the curious sloth a head-knock.

“Can't you say that you're awake?" He wrote back to Shira, that he doesn't hope that the trip gets exhausting, before he put the mobile phone away.

“Stop fooling around you two. I don't want to make an accident with the babe here.” Mixed now Manny in the conversation.

“Do you speak with the car like that also in front of Ellie? No wonder she feels disadvantaged.” Meant Sid mischievous and got another a hit on the head.

“Hey, let me do this hitting stuff. You should watch on the road." Added Diego half jokingly, half seriously then he certainly doesn't want to end up in the hospital because Sid was just Sid. But the sloth ignored the two who sat in the front quickly again, as he also got a message on his cell phone.

After Manny drove on a country road, they met less and less cars. The two larger animals threw repeatedly quick glances at each other while they the landscape just goes past them. Their friend in the backseat probably doesn't really know where they were going. This was just glad to be able to do something with them. But the saber-toothed dared not quite to express his thoughts.

Replacement product he read again from Shira's text and yet he doesn't quite know what he has to expect.

* * *

 

“Mrs. M? What are you doing here? Not that I have something against it that you are here.." Louis stopped talking. After all, he stood in front of the apartment of his friend, there it shouldn't be unusual, that he found her mother also here sometimes.

“It's all right, but you can't see Peaches now. She has a cold and high fever. So she will try to sleep for a while."

"But she gets rarely sick." Last night it rained for a while, but a mammoth would never caught a cold by this. Wait a moment? Hasn't she gone from this party earlier? Because it just started to rain later on the evening.

Peaches mother glanced again into the apartment and listened. But everything remained quiet, so she went out completely and closed the door behind her to explain a bit to the little one. Although she could only say what she knew from Peaches, but perhaps the molehog could do more with it. Shockingly her counterpart hasn't known that there was a separations discussion between her daughter and her boyfriend. Well, at least until now. Ellie was then a little uncomfortable, because she thought the friends shared everything. Then both were at the party.

After that she asked the molehog anyway if he knew what Peaches could have searched in the school swimming pool. This looked completely clueless, so she told the whole story to him. Louis responded a little frightened when he heard that his friend has jumped into the cold water at this time. What has she lost in the pool that she doesn't care about her health anymore? The calendar said it was still summer, but last night ruled anything but warm temperatures. The school swimming pool wasn't even heated when no one used it.

“What was it?" Surely a gift from Nathan. But how fell it into the water? The swimming pool is fenced and closed.

“She hasn't found it yet. When she got discovered, they had to give her a sedative so that she stops to swim at all. I know Louis, you have nothing to do with it. But could you search for someone who looks into the water. Since Peaches is stubborn like her father sometimes, I'm sure she jumps back into the pool as soon as she can.” The older mammoth was probably right. His friend could be very stubborn when she wanted something.

He has to move the conversation with his friend to another time anyway so he could also do that. Actually he has taken time off to relax a little today. But he could still do it later.  
So he said goodbye to Peaches mother and ran the way back to their old school. Unlike yesterday, today the sun was shining. Nevertheless, he doesn't see much at the bottom of the pool. The pool was clear, yet very deep. He never could swim well, so it would be pointless to jump into it himself. At last he saw something flashing at the bottom of the water. But it doesn't have to be that what Peaches has lost. Finally everyone could climb over the fence, to freshen up then. When not careful, you can easily lose something here.

He could now try it with a landing net, but he was sure his size wouldn't cooperate with him.

“John!" Exclaimed suddenly someone behind him and he looked around. But then he got only an almost contemptuous look from an otter, who was more than a head larger as him. What occurred to him immediately was the dipping suit that this guy wore. Probably this was here to make secretly swimming exercises. This type of animal he saw rarely in their environment, but he would be the last one who has prejudices against foreigners. That meant as long as they remained at a tolerable level. But the other one already pushed past him.

“Um, sorry, but don't you want to go into the water?" But he was ignored. At least until someone showed up here with a key. It concerned thereby an older hedgehog who looked a little grim now.

"I told you I'll get the keys." Only after that sentence he was noticed.

"And who have we here?" The question came not accusatory, but rather friendly.

“I really doesn't want to interfere." That was more for the otter, because this seemed not to like that he got here.

“But someone has lost something in the pool and can't get it out again themselves."

“With someone, he meant his girlfriend. He believes if he brings back what was lost, she will be so glad that she throws herself at him." Declared the largest animal in the round and Louis became a little embarrassed. But it was only partly true. In his head, it was enough if he got a smile from Peaches. He no longer hoped for more since a long time.

“She's my best friend and what has fallen into water means a lot to her.” The hedgehog put a paw reassuringly on his shoulder.

“My friend here wanted to jump in anyway. He will certainly find what you are looking for."

"But John." Wailed the otter. But the other doesn't cared much about what he just heard and pushed the largest animal easily into the cold water. With an offended look, the swimmer dipped then under and was looking for something that doesn't belong to the bottom of the pool.

"Is he always like that?" Actually, he doesn't want to be rude, but the character of the hedgehog wasn't somehow so matching to the other one.

“Sometimes. Well, almost always. When you ignore his rough style, he is actually a good friend." The molehog nodded, because it shouldn't be matter to him, with whom the elder hedgehog spends his time. Everyone had to know what was good for them. Not even fifteen minutes later, the otter swam back to them to the water's edge.

“Was that so hard?" Teased the older one beside him, but the swimmer just looked briefly offended before he lay down what has found. There were only two things. When he saw what belongs to Peaches he felt a little churning.

"I suppose the old hair tie isn't from your girlfriend." Meant the otter and threw the mentioned thing over to the trash can. Usually a throw like that would have impressed him, but now his eyes and thoughts only hung on the necklace that was left. He took out a handkerchief and dried the jewel carefully before he wrapped it in a second one. Then he remembered that here are two other animals still were beside him.

“Thank you for helping me. I probably wouldn't have done it so fast alone."

“He can't swim." Told the otter harshly.

"Be quiet!" Then said the older hedgehog to this and turned to Louis.

“It's nice that we could help. But I must ask you to go now. The caretaker of the school will also appear at any moment. He certainly saw you earlier climbing over the fence, because when I picked up the key, he had mentioned something like that. If you're not here, I can tell my impertinent friend couldn't wait."

"Hey." Complained the otter, but it was the truth that this had no patience to wait for the key. But the molehog doesn't wanted to stay longer here anyway. So he thanked the men again and said goodbye. When he was back outside of the school, he doesn't quite know what he should do or think.

* * *

 

There they were, on a parking lot in front of a kind of shop. However, you couldn't see much from the outside, a few promotional posters were hanging there and even other animals went in and out. Animals who normally eat like Diego.

“Well then let's just dive into the fun." Said the sloth and walked easily through the door, like that would be a normal shopping experience here. Sid never thought much about things but just did them. The saber-tooth and the mammoth found that enviable in some cases. But they would never admit it. A few seconds later, the sloth stepped out again.

"And?" Wanted the other two curious to know.

“It's a revolving door and my arm got stuck." Manfred rolled his eyes on it, tore the stuck one free and pushed his other friend through the door at the same time. Inside wasn't exactly that what they called dense crowd, but they weren't the only ones here. An employee from the store, just walked by with a box. As this noticed them, he put his goods quickly on a shelf and they got the full attention. They probably made a great impression that it looks like they're lost here.

“Nice, new customers. What can I do for you?" They were greeted friendly.

“Good man, we would like see quickly the products. The bigger the better. See him there? He would have almost nibbled at us on the ride here.” Thus the sloth was pulled away from the seller.

"What are you talking about?" Wanted Diego to know a little angry.

"You See? The sharp teeth here need something to bite." So Sid pulled on the jaw of the big cat to underline what has been said. The saber-tooth has trouble to get the nuisance away from him. At least until it became too much for the mammoth and this placed itself between them.

“What my friends really wanted to know is what exactly do you sell here?" The employee quickly tried to refocus on the essentials.

“We offer actually almost everything a predator wants.” The other three threw briefly a shocked look at themselves.

"Just nothing here consists of meat." The friends felt relived after this.

“You can look around here. It's just a store like others." Diego nodded understandingly and then declared, that the man could further pursue his work. They would come back later, if they have questions. But first, he grabbed a shopping cart. Perhaps he really found more than one good product to buy. He also assumed that it would appear on the packaging, what was in it. There were even small stalls with tastings. Of course Sid was the first one who stuffed his mouth full. The big cat has also to try something, because he was supposed buy at least one thing from here. Suddenly his mobile phone wants to be noticed again.

'And how is it going?' Shira was certainly curious, he couldn't blame her for it. Nevertheless, he still doesn't quite know what to buy.

'It's fortunately not that what I expected.' He wrote back and then saw that Manny also threw something into the cart.

"Hey, if Ellie cooks again for us all, she can now prepare for you two too."

“Because she made never fish before." Meant Diego and put his phone away.

“He just doesn't want to admit that the chips over there were delicious." Sid interjected and has also some bags with him.

“I don't understand why they aren't selling the stuff in every shop. Until now I couldn't find a fault in it." Manfred read everything carefully from each package, but until now he found nothing harmful or meaty substances in the food products. Though he doesn't know what all the words mean, which were standing in the table of contents, but by his favorite chips he doesn't do it too and yet he was still alive.

So the three walked a while through the store to taste and to buy. At the end they stuffed the car of the mammoth so full that one might think, you can never again buy something like that. Too late noticed the saber tooth that you can also order something online. But now he wasn't interested in it any longer and they drove back at last. He never believed it when animals say shopping can be stressful, but now he has the proof. Usually he also knows what he wanted when he went into a shop.

“If the stuff is well received, it may also gets sold in our city." Manfred started a conversation while he drove down from the country road again.

"And maybe the mayor will soon open the gates for more animals like you.” Sid added and the big cat looked distressed for a short moment. Because it came back the memory when he moved in this city with his friends. The woman who watched over this city, don't wanted such animals like him here. And there were some others who thought that way too. Only thanks to his friends, he could live with Shira here. Of course he found it unfair that anyone who had the teeth of a carnivore, got so many difficulties by just merely traveling through their city. Yet every vegetarian wasn't trusting and kind-hearted.

"Cheer up, Diego. Eventually someone else gets dialed and the one doesn't have as many prejudices towards you." The mammoth tried to cheer him up, but only now he has to thought about that his son must grow up in this world. He doesn't want that other children exclude him in kindergarten or at school. A flick from the back seat, took him from his thoughts.

“That's it. You just have to be a candidate by the next voting." Suggested the sloth excited. The saber-tooth looked irritated to the driver so that he could say something against it. Although Manny fetched for air for an answer, but then the mammoth was thinking over it again.

“Sid, you'll probably hear that the first and the last time, but the idea isn't so bad.”

* * *

 

"Mum, how could you tell him that?" Peaches has rested a little. Although she felt still not really better, but she couldn't also sleep all day. She certainly doesn't wanted to go back to bed when her mother confessed, that she had a visitor.

“What's wrong with that, if he knows it? He is your friend and surely likes to help you." Got she as an answer, but she just sighed. How should she explain that exactly Louis shouldn't help her with this problem. But she thought that the school was closed anyway due to the holidays for a while and the molehog had certainly better things to do.

It was only a normal necklace. She asked herself, why therefore she reacted so dramatically. The best thing would have been, if she simply had run after Nathan and that with the jewelry she could have solved later. But because everything hit one her so unexpected, she doesn't mastered to respond rationally. Of course, she doesn't met her ex-boyfriend when she finally arrived at home last night. Although she would like to call him, but first she must organize her thoughts. Maybe Nathan expressed all the things because he wanted to leave her anyway and just doesn't know how to explain that. But when it was like that, then the marriage proposal made no sense at all.

The other mammoth behaved really strangely for some time. When she thought back to the day when they helped uncle Diego and Shira to move in their new home, she noticed also odd things. Peaches believed it started when she accidentally splattered Louis with paint and this returned the favor then. Was her boyfriend perhaps jealous and she doesn't even noticed it? But when the molehog visited them, the male mammoth behaved not so strange.

To bring the whole mess to an end now, would be pointless anyway. She saw herself that she neither could go out nor can she lead a rational discussion in her current situation. To defer the conversation with her ex-boyfriend wasn't also a good idea, but if this found out that she risked her health because of the pendant, then she would only confirm his words. She doesn't want that too. Probably the fever was guilty that she now thought such nonsense. Because a part of her has to agree with what Nathan told her in the face.

When she was finally able to convince her mother that she could do it alone and would call when she felt too bad again, there she stood up already once this were a few minutes disappeared from the apartment. Luckily she found her phone quickly because she could only remember that she put her purse on the edge of the pool before she jumped into the water. Probably she grabbed more unconscious to it, or someone brought it with her.

No new messages from Nathan. But what had she expected, that he writes it all was a bad joke or a misunderstanding? Probably not. As she walked back into the room with the bed, she realized she probably should sit or lie more down rather than standing. Because somehow she quickly felt dizzy.

Peaches doesn't know what her mother had blurted out, but it was clear to her that she only meant it good. And because she knew Louis for many years, so this thought she wouldn't mind asking him for help. In any other situation, she might not have said no, but now everything seemed only to be weird.

She shook her head, took a sip of the warm tea, which was standing beside her bed and began to write a message. Precisely because she knew her best friend for so long, she should now have no inhibitions to talk to this about any topic. Probably the molehog worked on one of his projects. Maybe there this forgets the time and what her mother has told to him before. Thus she kept it short and wrote only that she would later look after this thing when she felt better.

That she sat now alone in the apartment, wasn't really the best solution, because her thoughts began to wander again. She should still rest and not think about how the problem could be solved.

But her attention diverted back on her cell phone, as this mad itself noticeable suddenly. Apparently Louis had just a break and could answer her. She swallowed as she read the text. Because it turned out, that her little friend had found the necklace faster than she would have liked. She should be glad that she no longer had to jump into the water. On the other hoof, Louis wanted certainly an explanation for why the jewel even landed in the pool.

'Thanks, but you shouldn't have done that.' One would think when an object ends up in deep water and a non-swimmer will approach there, then it would take a while.

'Because of the old thing you jumped into the pool at night? That's crazy.' She got the next message and this irritated her a little. But still better than to become embarrassed.

'And this came from the guy who gave me that thing. The necklace became my good luck charm over the time. So it's understandable that I wanted to have it back again.' No minute later came an answer to it.

'You've caught cold because of that. So it doesn't brought much good luck to you.'

'This was just because I no longer wore the necklace around my neck.' She shouldn't have sent this sentence. For a while there was silence in the room and she thought that she wouldn't get an answer anymore. Wearily, she rested her head on the pillow, which still smelled of her boyfriend. She immediately sat up again and took another, but on the whole bed was the scent of her now ex-boyfriend. Otherwise Peaches liked it always to have his male smell in the nose. So she knew that she wouldn't be alone at night for long before he lay down to her. However, now it was just offensive. Quick, at least as her body allowed it, she pulled everything off the bed and stuffed it in her washing machine. Although she could have gone into the living room, but sooner or later she has to do this work anyway.

'I hope you and Nathan could fix things again.' When she then took her phone again, she saw that Louis still answered. Sighing, she put the new hot tea beside her bed and then dropped on the freshly covered cushions. The molehog hoped that she clears things up with her ex-boyfriend and so they come back together. But what was, when she perhaps doesn't want that? No one was now at her side and probably she should use the opportunity to finally make out with herself what she even wanted for the future.


	8. Complicated

“Why are you looking around all the time as if a criminal comes out to get you?" Lorene meant it only as a joke, but her companion behaved so strange the whole day. Although Crash had almost promised voluntary to do some errands together when he got a free meal. But how the possum was acting, you could use it for nothing. Continuously it turned around and searched every corner of a room from when they entered both a new one. Her arm may soon fall off certainly, because the other hold on it so tight.

Of course, it has long been known that the two brothers are sometimes a little crazy. But the behavior here was different. It seemed as if her companion was suffering from severe delusion of persecution. She also looked around unnoticed now and then. But no one seemed to be there who got too close to them. Probably she should have picked up the other brother. Ruby was already in this summer school and she needed someone who could carry her stuff while she further completed all the things that were otherwise moved to the side. Crash explained that his brother was probably sick or something like it. Since that she doesn't really wanted to see him and perhaps even get infected. In addition, it sounded a little serious and she wasn't used to that of the possums.

So she had to make the whole thing with this guy with whom she doesn't came quickly forward. If they both would seemed like a couple at least, then she might not mind the forced body contact. But she knew they looked to other animals just more like a mother with a large spoiled child. Strange that her friend always forgot to look around when he stood before something he wants in a shop.

Maybe she should slowly looking for someone for a long term relationship. Because her daughter will soon be old enough to have her own place to live. She already indicated that she like to do that very soon after her next birthday. The skunk mother sighed as she thought that her child will soon be eighteen. She saw now how quickly children can grow up. But she should see it positively, because she got more free time for herself. Ruby wasn't even long in the summer school, but she found it just very boring and lonely at home. Nevertheless she really enjoyed the life of a single. Probably it will doesn't take long until she searched for a strange hobby.

"It's not what you think." Spoke her companion again with her and took her from the thoughts.

"What do I think?" She wanted to know and doesn't care whether that was about some women. Finally, she was just friends with Crash and it wouldn't be the first time that a strange lady followed the possum. When she analyzed the selection of the females of her companion there was always something wrong with all of them. At least the women she has heard of. Since she also belonged to this circle, she wondered what wasn't right in her head. She shrugged her shoulders, because she could be an exception.

“Oh, just forget it." Has now been answered a little brusque. Certainly he doesn't wanted to tell her, because sometimes she just has such an unfriendly way to handle things. But maybe it was better that way, because unfortunately, she hasn't a character like Ellie. Therefore she couldn't give the appropriate advice to everything. It could be that this was her blemish.

She secretly envied the mammoth mother, because this seems always to be calm and balanced. If you look to the partly stubborn husband then, you couldn't really imagine that it was love at first sight for the two.

Lorene thought that she should focus more on the here and now. They both ran through a shopping street. Short she eyed her bag carrier again, but then she noticed something on a shop sign. Someone was reflected in it, who was behind them. At first she thought the looks at the possum beside her was just pure coincidence. At second glance, as she pretends to look for something in her purse, she realized that her companion imagined nothing here. The pursuer had just done very good work so far that she doesn't notice this. Granted, she wouldn't really believe that someone stalks one of possums voluntarily, if it wasn't before her own eyes. The unknown seemed not really threatening now, and he wore a suit. He rather looked like a nice insurance salesman. But they also have their dark secrets, thought the skunk and made a decision. Because if these games run for a while already, she could imagine how tiring it must be for Crash.

Thus, she took first one paw of the animal with the ailing nerves and pulled him further. Maybe the stranger gives up at some point, because she still has many tasks on her list. If the guy still sticks to them after that, she will have an unpleasant conversation with this.

Of course, the two crazy brothers were annoying and sometimes unbearable, but they haven't deserved this. Once again, Ellie was right. As friends they could play as many pranks as they wanted, in the end they were still there for each other. The possums are also included there. In an emergency, you could rely on them. The two were also there for them when she herself or Ruby needed help and for that she was always grateful. Although she shows it not as open as others, but her mammoth friend said that one doesn't have to express everything in words.

After a while, she even managed to divert her companion so that this almost forgot his previous problem. Then came a rumbling to her ears and she sighed, because actually she wanted to do one thing more before they go to lunch. But Crash was one of the varieties that are intolerable when they got hungry. So they sat down in the next snack shop, which was on the way.

Apparently their pursuer had stopped or that simply wouldn't want to come to close to them. Because Lorene could indeed take a look at him and if he was going to step through the door of the store, then an uncomfortable scene could happen here. That meant probably that this noticed her looks from before. Now she sat on purpose so that she had the entrance in the eye while they ate. Although she doesn't want to catch the delusion of the possum, but the stranger must have a aim. The skunk couldn't begin to discussion it with Crash now, because if this doesn't like that, he might just go out without her.

The book she had read recently helped not really in this situation. It was about a stalker who got tracked and then killed in the end. The events will hardly happen in reality, but you should nevertheless take such animals seriously. Therefore, she also thought that it would be good if her friend stayed a few days with her.

Thus she could fix this problem with him together. Although when she goes back to work, the possum would be alone in her apartment. That would probably not be the best solution.

“How about I come to your house for a few days?" Crash who was just stuffing his food in the mouth, almost choked on it now. She patted him with a roll of her eyes on his back before she continued the conversation.

“First, I want to look at your brother for once, because I know you two and can tell that Eddie wasn't by a doctor. Secondly, I could help once again to get your home clean. It smells sometimes in the shop below as if something died above." The possum found the idea not so fantastic. Than he knew how she meant it with the cleaning up. It would only look like that Lorene tells what to do and he has to do it alone. Since he couldn't also count on his brother. This was determined for no use the next few days. He doesn't really have the great desire to perform the housecleaning under the reign of this tyrant. But then this with the younger skunk came back to his mind.

“I know what you're up to. You want just to be with us because you are currently alone in your apartment. But you can't solve the matter like that.” So he wanted finally to have the last word for once. After all he was a man and has his pride.

"Both of you get something real to eat every day." She mentioned that, because she knew what the brothers otherwise malnourished. Cooking wasn't really that hard, so she never understood the way of nutrition from Eddie and Crash.

“Ok. Are you coming over tonight?" From folded paws, his attitude quickly changed to a drooling mouth. Although he still has leftovers of his food before him, he was already beginning to dream of future meals. It can't be that bad if the skunk wants to cook for them. Although she wasn't as good as their sister, but still better than junk food. They still could break off the whole thing if he had to do too much housework. Lorene nodded because she knew that she could sway the other with food.

* * *

 

The mobile phone from the molehog vibrated again. He knew he should do his job now and stop writing messages with his best friend. They were doing something like that often before he went abroad one year. Sometimes they spent half the night, to send funny pictures or videos with no words. Just to bring each other to laugh.

However now it seemed as if the mammoth faked her mood and he doesn't like that. He was aware that Peaches still has the separation in her head. You can't just forget it overnight. And nobody demanded that. But when he visited her after she finally got better, she behaved strangely. Louis had been worried that she still doesn't felt better after a few days. But it wasn't the cold that could explain the behavior of her. During the visit he gave her the necklace again. He thought at first to throw it in the mailbox earlier. Perhaps that could have been better, then maybe this strange mood wouldn't have come up.

Of course, his heart got warm by the thought that his friend was still wearing his gift around the neck. Here the chain wasn't even particularly valuable or beautiful. Nevertheless, he still found that she doesn't necessarily have to jump into the cold water for it. But what happened, happened and he doesn't want to rub on it.

Actually, he also doesn't stop by to ask questions about Nathan. But Peaches began to speak on her own after a while. So the nice male mammoth changed fast to an idiot. But in his eyes everyone was stupid who despised such a wonderful woman.

Also he felt his stomach go a bit sick when he heard something about a marriage proposal. He immediately had to think on Ruby's words and was wondering if she has already knew that. But the skunk was indeed traveling for a while, what he found good for the most part. Maybe he should suggest Peaches also such a thing. Just vacationing for a while and that farther away from here. Not that he necessarily wants to got too, because the peachy mammoth surely would like to travel with the other girls.

Louis sighed, but then smiled slightly as he still was reading her message. She said that she has forgotten to write that she visited the saber-toothed tigers yesterday. A little he always wondered if his friend chatted with Shira about problems if her mother or he wasn't an option for it. Certainly, since the silver-gray tigress looked at everything from a different angle. It can never be wrong to have multiple animals you could talk to.

The picture she sent from the small saber tooth tiger, looked really cute. He also realized that Peaches has the little one in her arms. One day she will be a very good mother, he thought while his face fell. That Peaches wanted to have children in the future wasn't a secret and this was also another reason why he never has a chance with her.

“Oh, what are you doing that face for? I know it's raining outside, but that is no reason to make a pout.” For a moment he almost forgot that he was at work, and not alone. Although he preferred to do his tasks alone, he can't always choose that. He knew who he would see if he turned around now. That he got so deeply away, so he doesn't even notice that someone came in, was abnormal for him. Probably the other animal had also expected it and crept in here, because this likes to made such jokes.

"Are you not talking with me today?" The voice inquired again and finally he turned to this. It was his work colleague Fiorenza Renard. But all should just call her Fio. She was also a little older than him, but he was never good in guessing. Especially women react sensitively sometimes when one said something wrong. That's why he never asked her and also her age doesn't really matter to him. The vixen knew this place for longer than him, but she was still so nice back then and helped him to learn how they work here.

“Of course. I just were bit in my thoughts."

“I noticed. Come tell me everything. Which woman gives you a heartache?” She put an arm around him. But he shook that off because he knew she doesn't mean it seriously.

"I wasn't thinking about something like that.” It was a lie, but she wouldn't find it out.

“Not? That means the good Louis has no one in his mind right now. Then how about if we go..." But his colleague has to cancel her sentence because someone who seemed to be angry called this from the hallway outside.

“Probably you are needed more elsewhere." He said and she ruffled his hair in which his reading glasses slipped a little.

“I'll see you later at lunch. Until then just try to think of positive things. You know, the boss also doesn't like to see it when his workers are moping the whole day." From the door, she still gave him an air kiss before she disappeared. The molehog smiled again and pushed his vision aid in the previous position. Somehow, she was also right, to think all day about negative things just makes depressed.

So he left the thoughts of the mammoth on the side for once and got his concentration back to his work.

* * *

 

Diego came home with a slight soreness that afternoon. These chairs in the office are no longer what they once were, he thought and put his bag aside before he hung up his coat. Slowly but surely, it was autumn and therefore quickly cool the country. His mammoth buddy probably seems to be the only one out there who can still walk around with a shirt. For him, this was clearly too cool, but everyone had to know that themselves.

Even the conversation doesn't went out of his head, which they carried on the way back from this store. He couldn't really be a mayor, let alone go as candidate. The saber-tooth doesn't considered himself as a leader.

When his tigress came into his gaze, he quickly drove out the thoughts. Because when he saw her he doesn't want to seem distressed. It turned out that this replacement product had as many proteins like real meat and so Shira soon felt better. A little he was ashamed, but now he recognized a distinct difference. His girlfriend looked much better now. If anyone would get to know her just now, this certainly couldn't say that she was pregnant a while before.

“Why are you just standing there in the doorway and staring at me? Come in. Sid came also over." With that she pulled him on the paws and gave him a small greeting kiss on the cheek. He grinned slightly, but then remembered what she just uttered.

"Where is he?" Because he could neither see nor hear the sloth. Since he has decided with Manny to give their buddy always a overlapping aftershave, that with the smell wasn't so bad anymore. What the lazy friend doesn't know that they both have exchanged the stuff with furniture refresher. It neutralizes unpleasant odors, but also wasn't toxic or dangerous if one accidentally sprayed it in the face. And the mammoth and he knew that this would happen more than one time.

"He plays with the..." Shira couldn't even finish her sentence because her fiance was already running to the nursery. She rolled her eyes and went back to the kitchen. Probably the anxious father thought Sid couldn't take care good of children. But she had the baby monitor on all the time and nothing dangerous happened.

Diego, who had almost slipped through the fast race, now looked confused in the nursery. There lay a drooling something in the playpen and his son was cheerful looking beside it. The little one tried to pull on the sleeping sloth with his paws. Or this wanted to crawl on it. He doesn't know what was going on, because so much couldn't the little saber-tooth do. As this gave a few happy noises out and then wanted to bite into Sid, finally Diego intervened.

“Don't do this. Maybe your teeth aren't growing anymore after it." He joked and wanted to take the little one up. But this began to cry. He was probably just a spoilsport right now. But thereby also the sloth woke up.

"Diego? Why do you make him cry?" He got asked with a yawn.

"And why do you sleep there?" Caught climbed Sid out from the playpens.

“The stars who are hanging here make someone really tired." The sabertooth pretends as it would be enough as an explanation. Because he was trying to calm down his son. This worked when his buddy made some grimaces. Apparently the baby doesn't quite know what was going on, but it stopped at least with crying.

"He is certainly hungry." It came from the door frame and Shira brought a bottle.

“Or it's a full diaper." Meant the sloth, closing his nose with paws.

“I'm sure the daddy would like to do it this time." Heard Diego, before he was left alone with the child in the nursery. Meanwhile the gray-haired tigress brought the visitor to the front door. As the sloth was gone, she went back in the direction where she still suspected the other two. Now and then she namely has to control how her fiance did his work as a father. What surprised her from the beginning that this could do some stuff better had then her. If she wouldn't breastfeeding the little one, Diego could do almost everything alone. That means if he doesn't would go to work in between. They both have agreed that he can continue to do it. Because she has no strength nor the desire already to struggle with her job again. In addition, she would miss her son as soon as she leaves the house. She found it already hard to leave him alone in the room. But it was clear to her that it couldn't go on forever. Thus, she forced herself literally to leave the room of the child when the little one was sleeping.

* * *

 

The molehog tossed from one side to the other. This night is probably going to be rather restless. On one paw he should sleep, but on the other he couldn't stop thinking about how his best friend behaved in his presence lately. Maybe it was just because that he had been away a year and her boyfriend just left her. Since that one can sure deviate from the daily habit.  
Also he has really thought these twelve months would provide him with plenty of work to finally delete Peaches from his heart. But slowly he had to realize that he would drag this problem all his life with him.

Suddenly the doorbell rang and he wondered who was going to visit him in the middle of the night. He briefly glanced at his cell phone before he rose from the bed. Time told it was 2:33. Woe to the visitor wants nothing important, Louis thought and jumped into his pants. A shirt was also thrown quickly on before he went to the door and turned on the light in the hallway.

"Who's there?" He doesn't care if he sounded rude, because it wasn't nice to wake people up at night.

“It's me Katie. It's about Peaches.” When he heard that name, he immediately opened the door.

“Hey. I'm sorry that we are disturbing so late or more early. But I didn't know what to do with her and then it occurred to me that you live in the area.” Examining he looked at the two mammoths and then knew what was going on.

“Is she also drunk?" He knew that it was totally unnecessary to ask this question, but he's just shocked. Peaches normally never drank so much that someone else had to hold her. She acted more reasonable so far.

“We thought so a girls night would be nice. At first she doesn't want to take something, but then Meghan poured a bit alcohol in her drink and soon after that she drank almost a whole bottle alone. It's better I don't tell you the details what she has consumed." The molehog sighed over these girls, but he wouldn't just let them stand in front of the door.

“Bring her in."

"Peaches, you are with Louis now." The previously tired mammoth, was suddenly wide awake.

"Hey." She yelled and rushed at the smallest in the round. As if he were a stuffed animal, he was pressed to her body. Annoyed, he looked at Katie, who stood giggling beside them.

“Could you then go and close the door?" The blonde nodded and said goodbye. However Louis sighed and cursed his size once again. Peaches smelled of alcohol and cigarettes. He hoped that she hasn't started to smoke.

"When do you let go of me again?" Abruptly she made her arms a little loose. But just as much, so she could see his face.

"Are you mad at me?" She sounded like a toddler, looking at him sadly.

“Of course not." He patted her arm a bit because he couldn't do more in this moment. He wondered just why his quills doesn't bother her. It was probably the alcohol.

“But let's go to sleep. It's really late."

“You're right. It is about time...* hic *..that we sleep with each other."

“Yes. Should I...What?" His brain was probably still in bed, because it took him a while to understand her sentence. Peaches doesn't responded and just let him finally free. She removed hastily her jacket and throws it with her purse aside. The top that she wore was either borrowed from her friends or just purchased new. It doesn't hit her usual style. The molehog namely couldn't remember that he has ever seen his friend in something with not much fabric. Suddenly he was ashamed to look because his eyes were just hanging on her upper body. He hastily turned away his gaze.

"Do you like what you see?" Shocked, he looked from the ground in her face. Her voice sounded so inviting as never before. He had to think of something fast. The sober Peaches would never do such a thing and he wanted to spare her the shame at daybreak. Too late, he noticed that she started to open her top.

“No!" He held her by the arm to make sure the fabric stayed where it belonged.

“You don't want me." From one moment to the next, she began to cry. It was even worse for him than before.

“That's not it." How he would like to say that he of course wanted her.

"I mean, you're tired. Let's talk about it tomorrow." He grabbed her hand and pulled her up to his couch. This he folded quickly to a bed. But Louis doesn't switch the light on in his living room. Because he wanted to avoid it, to make her more awake and give her more ideas. He ran back into the hall to march into his room. The wanted was quickly fetched out of the closet. When he came back to her, he was glad that there was no light in the room. Because she got rid her jeans.

“So now you can lie down." He told her and looked back to the interesting floor.

"Well then, good.." But he couldn't react as quickly as she grabbed him by a paw. As mammoth it was an easy task for her, to just pull him over.

“Do I get a goodnight kiss?"

“Are you covered properly? I don't want that you freeze at night."

"Yes." She replied and he said that only so he could look at her again without seeing her underwear.

“So?" A little peck on her nose doesn't kill me, he thought before he exactly did that. But when he moved away from her again, she looked disappointed at him.

“Not like this." She turned his head slightly with her hands, her trunk raised and then it just happened. She kissed him. Mouth to mouth. The moment was short, but Louis thought his heart would stop to beat at any moment. Peaches smiled at him in the dark, when she pushed him gently away again.

"Goodnight, Louis."

"Good night, Peaches." Oops. In what octave had slipped his voice there? Like mechanically controlled, he walked backward and left the living room. Of course, he still closed the door to this room. He doesn't want wake her when he would now scream under the cold shower. Until that moment just now, he doesn't even know that they could kiss each other. It was fleeting and tasted like alcohol, but he doesn't care. That was the best feeling ever. No kiss he ever shared with his ex-girlfriends felt that way.

When he fresh went out of the shower and climbed onto the stool to grin cheerful in the mirror, he noticed something. The smile vanished when he finally realized what had happened. Peaches wasn't his girlfriend and also a by alcohol triggered kiss, doesn't change that. Whether it made him happy wouldn't be important. The mammoth had no such feelings for him and that was the reality.

* * *

 

“Is he sleeping again?" Shira inquired from her man because she simply couldn't get back to sleep after her son wanted attention in the middle of the night. However Diego previously just laid a paw on her arm to signal that she could remain in the bed. Although she was grateful but waited nevertheless for the return of the other. Sleeping was hard for her anyway since two days because the baby bed finally stood in the nursery now. Previously she always has been afraid to leaver her son alone for too long, so she pushed his baby bed into their bedroom. Now she had put the baby monitor permanently on as loud as possible, so that she got everything when the little one missed something at night. Sometimes the baby just wants to cuddle shortly or be carried around before it quickly fell asleep again.

“He probably had just a bad dream." She got finally an answer while Diego went back to his side of the bed. Immediately she snuggled a little up to this.

"What do you think of the idea?" Although they haven't spoken about it much today, she knew immediately what he meant now. Finally, this was the reason why the sloth came to visit them. This had namely a feeling that his buddy doesn't shared the theme of the drive from the specific store with Shira.

"I don't know." She explained honestly. Of course she would find it wonderful if more animals, that were just like them, would travel in this city and live here in the future. Then perhaps it would no longer exist so many prejudices against them. Her partner had just a good job, because he worked in the company of Manny and she was also lucky with her work.

But if Diego really competes as a candidate, he would unfortunately also have less time for the family. That was the negative point she absolutely doesn't like. She wants that her son saw his father at least once a day.

“I sometimes see you anyway only in the morning and then evening. Should I really do this, then I'll have even less time for you two." He spoke out himself what Shira was thinking.

“Can't you hire someone for this job?" She inquired then rather jokingly.

“How do you imagine the job ad? Looking for predators for mayor of a small town." The saber-toothed tiger laughed a bit even if he doesn't felt like it. He wanted a better future for his son, but at the same time he wants to be there for him. If he truly ran through the matter, the boy will know him only from posters, newspapers and the internet.

Maybe he is exaggerating it a little, but he already explained Manfred that it doesn't work that way. It doesn't need to be him of all them who should be the mayor just because he was one of the only listed predators.

“Hey, don't worry so much about it now, ok? We'll find a solution." Meant his wife and gave him a kiss for reassurance. He just couldn't do anything else but agree with her. So he snuggled a little more to her before trying to sleep again.

The tigress still was awake a while, but she saw that she couldn't find an answer to the problem tonight. She closed her eyes to relax a bit in in the bed. At least as long as she got the time for it.


	9. Vote For Diego! Or Not

Ellie couldn't believe that one of her friends had such a good idea, but her husband doesn't want to admit how he stood behind it. She understood that Manny is worried, because with more carnivores could occur more problems in the city. On the other hoof, it wasn't so that there were no criminal acts at all here. The mammoth mother knew that it wasn't just the fault of these animals, that such things happened. Just because you are a herbivore, doesn't also mean you have always a good character.

Now she felt a bit disappointed, because the stubborn mammoth beside her in the car doesn't fully supports his buddy. What did he thought would happen if Diego got to be mayor? That the criminal rate rises to the highest limit? Probably not. Finally, this doesn't happen in other cities, where both species lived together for a long time. Ellie sighed, because if the Internet wouldn't exist, she couldn't inform herself so easily about such things.

"You just let him go there alone. What a great friend you are. You know exactly how they will act there.” The male mammoth on the passenger side said nothing to it. Than he explained his point already. Of course, he doesn't found it wise to scrub the idea on Diego and then refrain from it. But the big cat said himself he wasn't suitable for the job and would rather be there for the family. There had happened something that completely changed the mind of the saber tooth. Only what it was, he haven't heard.

They always said that he was the stubborn one in this relationship. Out-standing animals should see them once when his wife really wanted to get something. Just like in this moment. She simply dragged him away from the workplace and pushed him into the car. Then she got behind the wheel to drive to the quarters of the mayor. It was a bit strange that you must make a audition there to even be taken as seriously candidate. But the trifles were of little interest to him. When Ellie was angry, she had an even worse driving style than usual. He doesn't want to say anything about it, because that would distract her from the street and he would like to avoid that.

However she always glances over sometimes from her side as soon as she has to stop or to drive a little slower. Men don't get anything settled by themselves, she thought, as they finally turned into the street where the quarters were. Of course, she knew that the two have a disagreement, but to remain silent on it wasn't the best solution. If it would go after her, it would never be a thing that could help with problems.

She sighed once again for a thousandth time because she hoped to make her husband talk with it. That and with a pouting look. She could also threaten not to cook anymore, but then Manfred would only stuff unhealthy things in his mouth and she doesn't also want to drag him to a doctor.

Her day was already filled enough, there she doesn't really wanted to plan two struggling guys in it. At least Sid was with his grandma at an exhibition, which the old lady wanted to see. The male sloth would only complicates matters here. Sometimes this has the simple talent to aggravate such situations.

Nevertheless, she later had to stop by her brothers. Eddie must have hit it really bad. The poor one has been lying flat for a while. She was informed that Lorene temporarily moved in with them, but this had no car and the pharmacy nearby was under renovation at the moment. So she explained willing to pick up the medicine as a helping sister. Crash would have been able to do this too, but afterwards he takes the wrong stuff. The opossums don't take so many things exactly and that often worried her. But fortunately everything went well so far.

Tonight she wanted to go by her daughter to see how she was doing. This has recovered from the cold relatively quickly. Still, her instinct said there was something in the bush. Her husband was right when he said they didn't have to know everything. Ellie also found it odd that this came from him. She also thought that one should know some things as a mother. In her opinion, Peaches went too easy on from the separation. Finally, this relationship with Nathan lasted over two years. There you don't simply avoid the issue as if it had never existed.

She also met the mammoth girls. But they only told that they wanted to help her daughter with parties. Sometimes they didn't behave according to their age. In addition, Peaches wasn't one which quickly throws herself to the next man to get over things. But to go out with the other girls certainly distracted her a little. To stop by Louis and chat with him about it, would be an option. After all the molehog was the best friend and knows always more. On the other hoof, she doesn't want to be like the skunks or her brothers, because she knew that they knock sometimes too often at the door of the prickly one.

Ellie tried to banish all that from her head. Than she almost missed the driveway for the parking lot to which she has to go when they want to the quarters of the mayor. A muffled groan from the side, told her again that her driving style needs improving. She doesn't even get a ticket in ten years because of too fast driving or wrong parking. But she just rolled her eyes because she doesn't want to start a discussion about this here. After all, they had come here for Diego and when she has to drag her husband by the ears into the building, she would do it. Apparently, he was reading her thoughts, than he followed her voluntarily.

When they both entered, Ellie looked around as she went for the reception. There was never a reason to enter this building before and now she found it interesting that she could go in here. The mammoth beside her did, of course, as if this were all incidental. The main thing was for her he walked obediently behind without making trouble.

She was given a paper, where it was noted in which room their saber tooth stayed but they had to find that first. Now that they were walking through the corridors, they noticed how much space was here. There are countless rooms, stairs and other corridors. The building doesn't look so big from the outside. Probably because the floors went more into the cellar instead of going up as usual.

“It's sure a bit creepy. As if there was something to hide." Her husband said as they were alone in a stairs hall. The mammoths choose to do this because they don't want to squeeze themselves with the workers from here into an elevator. Manny has never admit it but this got very quickly claustrophobia by little space and too many animals. To be honest, others of their kind were similar. She herself doesn't know this fear. Probably because Ellie grew up with an opossum family. She also found climbing stairs at short distances healthier anyway. Nevertheless, she had to agree with the statement from her man.

“I don't want to know that exactly. We're just here because we want to support Diego."

“Why can't you fill out a form at home and send it here?" The female mammoth rolled with her eyes.

“Probably he would have immediately received a red stamp with 'Rejected' on this letter.”

"I find the dress that you wearing today really nice." He just changed the subject and plucked a little at the end of clothing so that the elastic fabric snapped back.

“Hey, stop that!" She meant determined, but smiled as she put her man's hoof away.

"There are cameras everywhere." She continued, smoothing her dress again because the fabric was hanging on the fur before.

“Besides, if you'd like to flirt with someone to apologize, then it would be better if you do it with Diego.” Caught saw Manfred on the stairs under him. He also asked himself if he has to climb them up again afterwards. Running down wasn't really a problem, but the number of steps they have taken until now could be too much for him on the way back.

“He's never wearing anything so inviting." When they were both on a level where a stairway stopped and the other started, Manny put an arm around his wife. Even so she stopped once. He doesn't think it would disturb his buddy if they were still five minutes longer at the stairs. Because even if he doesn't want to accompany the big cat, he still knew when this one had an appointment here and his watch said it wasn't the time for that. He could have explained that to Ellie, but he doesn't want to make her even more angry.

“Now that you mention it, this is perhaps the wrong outfit for such an important conversation. I look like I was going to a picnic in the park and not to the mayor."

“Don't tell nonsense. No matter what you look like, you can always be very convincingly if you want that." Once again she pushed him away, but gave him a little kiss with the trunk on the cheek. It was clear to her that her husband never meant it evil when he did something. Or not in this case. He can't get out of his fur and that is why he will always worry about something. But that was all right as long as she was with him to calm him down.

"Ehm, Ellie?" Now she was eyed a little nervous, surely because she pushed him unintentionally into the corner. Actually, she just wanted to put her arms around the other mammoth and not exaggerate it. When she heard someone coming into the stairwell, she quickly left her husband to concentrate on the steps.

There were fifteen sections. Five of them, went upstairs and the rest of them they're running down. Their goal was number nine. Then they had only to find room 75 there.

“Come on, we'll have time later for gimmicks." She explained teasingly, then ran quickly down the stairs. It doesn't have to be that they get thrown out, because they were here for too long or because Diego was already gone. But these cameras watched everything. So it would be hard to snoop around by the way. Than some animals told already strange rumors about this building.

For example, they do forbidden and cruel experiments in the cellar. But that couldn't be true, because it was too easy to walk in here. Or maybe that was part of the disguise. Someone who locked everything, made it too obvious that one had to hide something. However different tactics were applied here. Just because almost everyone could come in, no one would investigate here more. So many stories came from various animals to her ears that she wondered why there were so much rumors about the building at all. It could be because one of them came from the truth and the others should only distract from it.

A light shiver ran down her spine when she thought of the story with the clone experiments. Ellie doesn't hope that this thing took place somewhere down here. The details of it sounded as if they had sprung out from a horror thriller.

“How far do you want to go?" Her husband took her from the thoughts. She would probably have followed the stairs to the end, if the other mammoth hasn't said anything.  
  
“I must have overlooked the number." She got an examining look. When she was standing on the same level, she saw the number nine in bold-black and almost as big as one of them on the door.

“OK. I just don't really paid attention to the numbers anymore.” She admitted and her husband opened the door like a gentleman for her. But she couldn't notice that now, than they were now facing the next test. After all, they still have to find this room with number 75.

“They don't mean that serious?” Manfred asked annoyed because they were standing in an endless looking hallway. The door to the right had the inscription 1A and the left 1B. He hurriedly walked a few steps, but unfortunately that with the letters doesn't get any better. He stood clueless at the doors of O and P and looked back helplessly. However, Ellie has disappeared. He ran back quickly. Just to notice that his wife has simply entered a room.

"What are you doing there?"

"It was open." He only got this answer, as if this would explain the unauthorized entering. But there are two doors in the room. Ellie stepped through the second one, when he was still looking around.

"Now wait!" He admonished her, but tried to be not too loud. After all, they shouldn't be noticed here.

"Just like I thought." Heard Manny now and stood again in a hallway. The only difference here, however, was that the entire letters had the number two before it.

"Who made all this up?" Slowly he wanted to know that, because they saw that they don't have to use a door now to get to the next corridor. Beside the door 2A the corridor simply went on and already after a step he saw the door 3A. But of course, it doesn't go any further. This cellar was built like a snake. That probably means that a curve was at 1Z and at 3Z must be the next one.

Ellie, on the other hoof, had just as little desire to play this silly game. So she knocked at the next door and as she heard a 'yes', she just entered this room. Now there was someone, with a desk in front of the other door. Also the door handle was missing on the other way out.

“Sorry, I just got the wrong door." Exclaimed the female mammoth. The guy at the table shook his head and grinned back.

“No problem. I would like to help you.” Manfred doesn't like to see it when other men began to flirt with his wife.

"Thank you, but no need for it!" So he explained a little capriciously and closed the door as Ellie stood in the corridor again.

"Maybe he could have helped us." He then heard of her and was given an angry glance before she went to the next door. The male mammoth snorted silently as his wife entered the next room. There was no light and it looked more like a store room. He almost flew over some cartons, because he sank a little in his thoughts. But he was still held by the arm. Already he got the second punishing look. Who should tell him that he has be more careful. As she looked away, he rolled his eyes annoyed. At the same time, he wondered why they both were doing this. Diego certainly doesn't mean to become the mayor of this city anyway. So what was it, that this still came necessarily here? Was he convinced by Shira with strong arguments? Manfred couldn't imagine it, that the silver-grey tigress would like her partner to stay more away from the family. This will surely happen if his buddy accepts the job.

“It will continue like this forever. And even if we're finally in line 75, we still don't know which door we should take." He complained now and he doesn't care anymore if he was heard by someone. He also found it a bit peculiar that there were no cameras in these corridors. With this guy from before, he shouldn't have exaggerated it. Perhaps they would have been smarter now.

“What is that?" He asked his wife when she has a note that looked like a map of this structure here.

“There is no corridor 75." The male mammoth sighed annoyed again because he thought they are lost now.

“That is 7S. The letter was only printed really indistinctly, which it made it look like a number. Come on, Manny. At the latest when we had reached line ten, we would have noticed that it doesn't go on. In addition, somebody has marked some rooms with a pen.” She held the paper in front of her husband's eyes, so that he could puzzle a little too.

"Hm, that's probably all the rooms where no one is in there." Ellie then stroked his head as a reward, but he shook it off. Sooner or later they would have come to that without a card. It doesn't change the fact that he found the system here still stupid. In corridor five, they had to walk a little longer because the empty room was further down.

As they at last arrived in the desired line and they soon saw also a well-known saber-tooth. Ellie greeted their friend as always, but couldn't believe that the men wouldn't want to talk to each other. Or why her husband doesn't mention exactly when the appointment took place. But she could discuss this later, when she was back home with Manny. Now that was only about Diego. But just as she tried to get them to clear the matter, the door opened and their friend was called in. Of course, she pushed Manfred in the same direction.

“Come on, help him!" She whispered and closed the door. At least she pretends it, because of course, she was too curious to wait. On the other side, there was silence until the man behind the desk pulled out a document.

"Unfortunately, you were refused." Was declared and Diego growled a bit, but the male mammoth was heard more clearly.

"What are the reasons for this?" Before the saber could ask for himself, his buddy was faster. But even if he doesn't like it, he couldn't change it either. At least he has tried it.

“There are some requirements that must be fulfilled in order to compete as a candidate. Unfortunately, you don't cover all of them." The speaker became increasingly silent at the end of the sentence. Probably because Manfred confronts him with an angry look. The mammoth knew what was being said here. His buddy Diego was always stamped as a carnivore by some animals. Their opposite seemed to be such a specimen. Nevertheless, he couldn't think of a better solution. To intimidate the guy behind the desk until he wrote a yes or accepted on the paper wasn't certainly a good idea. It would only worsen the chance of his friend.

“See, we'll find it good.." The guy cleared his throat as he looked at Manny.

“..that animals with different views come for this job. Nevertheless, we can't give everyone the opportunity for it. There are rules that we all have to follow."

"It's the thing with the work, isn't it?" The big cat knew the answer already, but doesn't thought that they would take everything so exactly.

“Precisely. Until now you haven't worked in a public building to help others. Nor can you really show whether there have been incidents in recent years." The mammoth would most likely to pound the guy in front of him in the ground. Then this would have experienced an 'incident' from a herbivore. As long as his buddy was already at his side, there were no unpleasant situations in their company. Of course, there were some animals here and there which don't like the saber tooth, because this was by nature a hunter. But they never reported any incidents. In addition, each one who gets hired hears the explanation with what they have to work. Manfred makes the thing himself, because he has quite a good knowledge in animals and he really doesn't want any troublemakers in his workplace.

Still, it wouldn't make any difference here if he would vouch for the fact that Diego never had such incidents. It just doesn't count here, because they were friends. Even if they ask all employees from their company, no one under this roof would accept that. He has really thought it would be enough if a saber-toothed tiger was a good citizen in this city. After all, his buddy never got together with the police. Why doesn't that count too? But it wasn't a matter if idiots come for this job. As long as they aren't carnivores, they were still better for this building and the current mayor. Sometimes he found this government not really fair. Without moving his expression, he looked at his friend. It was obvious to him that he had resigned himself to the fact that this here wouldn't work anyway.

“Don't misunderstand me either. I am sure that you could achieve a lot with new good ideas, but so is the law. In addition, there are still many animals who feel uncomfortable with the idea of having a saber tooth as a mayor. It should simply be someone who presents the majority of the animals out there and at the same time understands and appreciates the differences." They both nodded only as they were already opening to the door.

"Living in this city isn't so badly." Said the guy who was standing now in front of them.

“Right." The door was closed without great farewell speeches. In spite of the fact that Diego had already known it before, he was now a bit depressed. Because he hoped that he could do a little more. But to work in a nursery or hospital for five years just to get him in here, wasn't exactly the best solution. First, he had to find a facility that hires him. Secondly, he doesn't know whether he wanted to become mayor at all, when this time has passed. They probably want to do just that to keep one busy until you don't feel like it anymore.

"Let's go, guys." He announced, because they were still all three in this corridor. He looked briefly at the mammoths. The big cat noticed only then that Ellie has a insidious grin on the face.

"No. No and another no." Manfred threw at his wife and waved his arms around to make it clear what he meant. He looked a bit confused between the two.

“Could you enlighten me?" He inquired then, because apparently his friends communicated telepathically. The male mammoth was simply pushed aside by the female. This said something with grunting, but he couldn't hear it, because Ellie was excited and grinning before him. She tapped delighted on his chest, so he has to take a step backwards.

“If you can't become a mayor, there is still the hope to be the secretary of the new mayor.” She explained her thoughts excited. But he looked helplessly to Manfred, because he still doesn't understand what was being played here. This sighed as if he doesn't has the desire for that what was coming.

"From now on, Ellie wants to be your new boss." Then it clicked in his head and he noticed how a grin crept on his face.

“Then you find the idea acceptable?" Ellie wanted to know and it sounded a bit as if she would doubt herself.

“Acceptable? This idea to suggest you as mayor is fantastic." The mammoth in the background slapped his forehead.

“Why do you also encourage her?" But that was ignored. Ellie and Diego were already on the way to leave and were happy as little children. They talked cheerfully about what was still to be done and what ideas were still emerging. Manny rolled his eyes annoyed, but followed the other two quickly. This avalanche was already rolling, since he knew nothing about it and now it was clearly too late to fight against it.

It occurred to him that he might be able to pull some of his friends to his side, but everyone would certainly be enthusiastic about this. Only when he thought of Shira alone, she would certainly like to paint posters while she was preparing baby food. He could also forget Ellie's brothers, who were enthusiastic about everything that the big sister did. The main thing was the two don't have to do so much. Also he could ignore Lorene which would otherwise be immediately back on such a why-don't-you-support-your-wife-trip. And he doesn't really want that. Peaches would surely help her mother too and he doesn't even have to think about Sid.

Annoyed and done, he finally stepped out of the building. Then he noticed that his wife had simply left the place with Diego, without talking to him again. At least she was so nice to leave the car keys here, he thought. Although he got an text, that they would see each other this evening, but he still has mixed feelings in the belly with this thing. It wasn't that he doesn't like the idea. Manny only found the things that came with it not fine. His wife was strong, but still he doesn't want anyone to hurt her. Verbal wounds can also hurt.  
Probably he should go to work for now. Perhaps later not everything looks so bad.

* * *

 

So now I fall comfortably on the couch and watch cartoons, thought an exhausted opossum. There were even leftovers from the lunch, Crash wouldn't spurn. Their temporary roommate had to work to his fortune. Otherwise he probably must have done more. He could do it without now. It was already enough for him that Lorene was driving him to clean up half the store downstairs.

First he doesn't found everything so bad, because there was also delicious food. Now he asked himself if it was a mistake to let the woman in here. But she insisted on staying until his brother felt well again.

For tonight he could forget the other two and simply enjoy his peace. Even though it was slowly becoming strange without Eddie. After all, they used to either go sick together or not at all. He remembered when they were both still in elementary school. Then he broke his leg, because he had to climb on a wall at the school. Of course, almost the same thing happened to his brother.

At that time he thought they were both not very smart. Today it came to his mind that Eddie only broke something, so he himself doesn't have to go to the hospital alone. They were both never very enthusiastic about doctors and the stuff around them, but he thought the other opossum could bear that a little better. Nevertheless, they always went together as if they were siamese twins. Only the place where they had grown together could no one see but them.

Crash shook the old times from his head, because he shouldn't pity his brother too. Soon this will be fit again. They will then again throw stupid jokes to each other and plot good pranks.  
He switched from one channel to the other, but somehow nothing came in the TV. Naked in the wilderness would be interesting, if not a guy would run in front of the camera the whole time. Just as this was bending down on the ground to pick something up, he went on quickly. The next channel showed then more femininity, but it was about baking. He would only get hungry for things that he doesn't have in the flat anyway. So again he quickly pushed the button. Medium, animals from the beyond speak to you. Then he rolled his eyes and zapped again. He found it not really fair from the TV, that this just showed nothing good when he sat before it.

Well, his food will be warm enough anyway so he can take it out of the oven. The opossum doesn't want to put the lasagna into the microwave, because he would have to wait five minutes with each piece. After all, he couldn't know how much he wanted to eat before.

He almost forgot to take the baking pan out with gloves. It wouldn't have been the first time he'd burned himself. With the smell, the water in his mouth flowed together. Here he found it good that his brother was sick, than there was now more left for him. The bedridden had to be satisfied with a vegetable broth. Order of nurse Lorene.

The baking tray was now ready on the couch table in front of him. Just wait two or three minutes so he doesn't burn his tongue. To bridge the time, he took the remote control in the paw again. When he had almost all the channels through, he chose wrestling.

Perhaps I can learn from the show how to drive a stalker away, he thought jokingly for himself and finally pushed a piece with a lot of cheese on the fork. Shortly before the tasty food touched his mouth, the apparatus in the hall gave nervous noises from itself. He could simply ignore the phone, because at some point the caller will already have understood that no one wants to talk. Unfortunately, it doesn't ring just once or twice. After ten minutes, the phone still terrorized him. Annoyed, he stood up and marched into the hallway. Ready to scream in the phone, when there was a certain guy.

“Have you ever looked at the clock?" Crash said without wanting to know who was calling at all.

“I'm sorry that I'm calling so late." When he heard the voice of the younger skunk, his mood changed a little. The girl hasn't spoken to them for a long time or even talked to his brother after the chaotic evening. And he knew, because Eddie's cell phone had been lying in the living room for days. Probably the owner had simply forgotten it.

“No. That's fine. So, how are you? I hope you haven't made too much trouble that they want to send you away again.” He heard a light giggle.

“Who am I talking to? My mother? But no, I haven't done anything worth mentioning.”

“Good child. Attracting attention, but don't overdo it."

“Was that your motto when you were both my age?” If it was, they never kept it, he thought to himself. But he doesn't want to talk too long with the skunk, because after all, a delicious meal is waiting for him. Besides, she definitely doesn't called to talk to him.

“So to speak." Strange that he could almost hear how she rolled her eyes at the other end. There was a brief silence. Probably because she doesn't quite know what to say.

“I happened to hear from my mother that your brother caught a cold.” Teenagers and their hormones made it difficult to become direct or at least for the young skunk. If she wasn't so far away, she would look after Eddie in a different way. However, she could only 'say hey' like this, because the other opossum doesn't notice his cell phone. Of course, he often teased his brother because Ruby has a crush on him. But he doesn't understand what is so bad about that when it's true? They had seen that she was no longer a little girl. To be honest, the skunk came with her deeds in this club, very close that what they used to be in the past. Both of them have often skipped school to pursue interesting things. Of course Ellie and her mother noticed only half of it. Even if everyone thought they were very stupid, they were good at keeping things secret if it really had to be.

“Hey Crash, are you still there?" Irritated, he shook his head, because it was just as pointless now to break his head about stuff. In addition, his lasagna was getting cold.

"Of course." He replied a little sighing to her before called his brother.

“Phone for you!" Roared Crash through the flat and he had slowly enough of it that he has to serve the other. In his opinion, was this sick longer on purpose. He doesn't know how, but their new home help has to be the reason. Lorene has a little too much pity for Eddie. Here this was his own fault that he caught something. Of course she agreed to look after him once he was sick. His ears only heard that because the other opossum pointed out to her that he was jealous. Nonsense.

Nevertheless, he doesn't get infected from his brother and he really did something for it. When the skunk caught him, he had to watch the shop alone for a whole day. The whole thing had a good point, because the peculiar guy couldn't be seen here anymore.

“Dude, you absolutely wanted a phone in retro-look with a cord. So now swing your a..”

“I'm already on the way. If you have a headache, I'll be also so sensitive.” He heard Eddie croak in the hall.

“Who is it? Ellie?" Apparently the other hasn't heard the conversation from before. Like how, if you just want to sleep in peace. In the light the other possum looked really a bit sick. No, thought Crash. He shouldn't be vulnerable to compassion. Although he wasn't really the brightest star in the sky, but slowly he felt that it couldn't be a simple cold.

“Your girlfriend calls from the jail with fresh air. Don't exchange too many expressions of love, you will certainly be heard.” He joked and got a evil look before handing over the phone. Crash raised apologetically the paws to signal that he wanted to make no further trouble. Then he strolled back to his lasagna because his brother seemed unpleasant enough that he has to talk at all to the girl in his constitution. He tugged nervously at his pajamas to make him presentable. Which of course was nonsensical, because Ruby couldn't see the possum.

Shaking his head, he turned from the hallway to his dinner, only to notice that it was just as lukewarm. But Crash was too lazy to get his butt up again. He swallowed the lasagna down and although he doesn't wanted to listen, he heard the conversation from his brother while he was pretending to concentrate on the TV. Later, he wouldn't belabor it of pure brotherly care that he had to attend the most embarrassing phone call of all time. He also put it on Eddie's disease that he was stammering around like a school girl.

'Oh no. I's all my fault.', 'Now it's alright, okay.' and 'This can happen to everyone.' Of course, the nervous giggle couldn't be missing. It's just as bad as in the dramas that their sister always watched and at any moment says his breakfast Hello again at this love ramblings. He hasn't really imagined the evening like that.

* * *

 

Cheerful and still enthusiastic about the day, Ellie left her new secretary. First, she wasn't so convinced herself of the idea to become the mayor. But she doesn't wanted to show that on the outside to not to disappoint Diego once more. Because she saw that it hit him hard because he couldn't have the job and she also knew why. He doesn't want this work because of the power or because of the employment. The saber tooth has good ideas and finally wanted to change something in this city, so that it was a bit better here for his own kind.

However, she now was already looking forward to working with Diego. Of course, it will not be easy either, but she finally got something to do again, which makes her feel important. Yes she has chosen to be a housewife, but lately she felt a little bored at home. Manny had to work during the day and Peaches owned her own flat. One of her friends just came around when the time allowed it. Everyone had his own life.

So sometimes she spent the whole days alone with baking and monotonous television broadcasts. The house work wasn't really very much, if in a house lived only two animals. With this task as mayor or at least as a candidate, she finally got the opportunity to do something exciting.

At least the saber tooth had been so nice and has promised to bring the medicine to her brothers. She could indeed visit a pharmacy earlier than one was on their way. Diego liked to do such things at least partly because they were friends. Manfred would have complained for an hour, why he had to do it.

“Well, look who's coming home so early." When you think of the devil, she thought jokingly to herself. But even her husband couldn't spoil her mood. Of course this was a little stinky, but that doesn't mattered to her now.

“Don't be so miserable. Have you cooked something nice?" She inquired as she put her handbag away.

“Me?"

"Yes you. I hope you still know, that we have settled no matter who is home first prepares the food." Now that Ellie mentioned this, it really came back to him. Finally he set this rule up when they had moved in here. But until now it was very rare that he has to wait for his wife. Otherwise she was always there when he got home from work.

“Oh, don't look like that. You get enough time to practice. I'm not that hungry anyway. But you'll be able to make a sandwich or... Peaches?” She broke her sentence up as she entered the kitchen and saw her daughter sitting at the table.

She looked like as if she doesn't want to be too upset, but she as a mother immediately noticed that her girl was a bit depressed.

“I'm in the living room." Manfred apologized and disappeared from the room. It wasn't as if he hasn't tried to talk to his daughter, because he also noticed that there was something in the bush, but maybe he doesn't seem to be the right animal to talk with. Later, he would certainly hear from his wife what it was about.

In the kitchen, Ellie set up a tea first, because talking was easier a bit better with that. A few minutes it was all quiet in the room. Well, almost, because you could hear the water cooking. Only then she noticed the rinsed dishes.

“You know, I wanted to test if your father can do this alone. But when you look after him and make him something to eat, nothing will ever come of him.” She explained jokingly and she heard Peaches laugh. But as she turned around with the two hot cups, she noticed that her daughter was just wiping a single tear from her eyes. Worried, she just put the tea down and laid a hand on the younger mammoth's shoulder.

“Peaches, is it so bad?" She asked when she turned briefly to reach for the tissues. Her daughter took them gratefully and she tried to wipe her face dry. Of course it wasn't easy for Ellie to see her child like this, but she also knew that sometimes crying freed the soul. So she just patted the other mammoth's shoulder soothingly and waited patiently until something was said.

"I did something very stupid." Peaches finally gave out when she was sure her voice sounded normal again. It was embarrassing for her to tell her mother that. But sooner or later, it comes out anyway that something happened between her and her best friend. At first she also thought that she interpreted too much into the matter and was now acting too dramatically. To get drunk with the girls was the stupidest idea ever. Of course, the next day, when she woke up in Louis apartment, she had no blackout. She remembered everything. So she hurriedly put on her clothes and wrote on a note that she would have to work early. As for that, her friend was understanding. But in the other case, she doesn't seem so sure.

“Did you fight with Louis?" She looked up a little frightened.

“How..”

"Let's say mother instincts. But why did you argue with him? After all, it's been ages since you last had a strong disagreement."

“He is to blame for this. He is simply too understanding and amiable." Peaches would never have thought that these qualities would be in the bad light. But it was true, than Louis was simply too compliant with her. Perhaps the molehog should more often represent his opinion, then there would have been nothing between them.

She sighed, because the little one couldn't be blamed at all. It was bad enough that Katie had totally misunderstood the whole thing. This thought that she had finally overcome with the alcohol to ask the molehog for a date.

Peaches doesn't understand anything anymore. Her boyfriend had just left her and now she should throw herself at Louis? That doesn't make any sense.

“You can hardly blame him just for this."

"I know. It's also my fault that we have a problem. I've done something I can't undo.” Even if she wanted to be a grown up and do this alone, it nevertheless felt good to tell her mother about it. Because no matter what will be, Peaches could always count on her help. Nevertheless, she was ashamed of what she had done. You can't even let this go through as a joke in the drunk state. Strangely enough, the other mammoth found her story funny.

"Mum, that's not funny," She said a little snapped.

“I'm sorry. I just thought you were coming with something worse now."

"What do you mean.."

“Listen to me. Do you really think such a thing could destroy your friendship?"

"Of course not. But he.."

“Louis is a clever guy and yes, sometimes perhaps too understanding. Still, you should talk to him before you paint everything so black. Or doesn't he want that?" Peaches admitted that she simply doesn't dared to call the molehog or to visit him. Her mother understood how she felt, but also said that it wouldn't be fair to the prickly one to just let him in the dark. After all, he hasn't done anything wrong.

"You're right, as always." Sighed the younger one and finally drank a sip of tea. She then remembered what her father has mentioned before.

“Dad said you'd have a new job soon." Ellie forgot that for a moment. But now she happily laid open the news. At first she thought that her daughter would take it a little bit like Manny, but she seemed very enthusiastic about the idea that her mother would become a mayor.

At least, Peaches tried to bring that over. Of course, she thought the thing was good, but that certainly brought many difficulties with it. Nevertheless, she wanted to swallow this and the problem with her best friend down for now, because it wouldn't be fair to her mother to spoil the mood. Her father was cranky already enough today, there she wanted to at least act encouragingly, because she also got a good advice.

So they both chatted for a while until the younger mammoth decided to drive to her flat. Although she as always got the offer to sleep in the house, but she decided for herself to do that only on holidays.


	10. How To Solve Problems?

At last, thought a young skunk as she got off a bus. Her mother hasn't lied, because the summer school was really something special. But not as someone would think. She wondered all the time when there would be something she needed to learn, but nothing like this happened. There were neither lessons, nor annoying and too old teachers. The adults there were quite decent and she had also met a few animals with which she could meet again sometime. She wouldn't say now that she has friends. That would be exaggerated, but she has to admit that it was a little fun to be away from home once. Even though she missed her normal environment.

Of course, she was talking to her mother every now and then, but she couldn't speak directly about the others with her. It was unpleasant for her that she found it hard to call the possums. They had known each other for years. Nevertheless, she became nervous at the telephone call. Not only because she wasn't good with apologies, even if she was guilty of something. But also because the conversation with Eddie was strange. They talked in three months only once, then afterwards she couldn't reach him anymore. Than either her mother went to the telephone of the opossums or no one took the call. Perhaps she has lost it again and he doesn't want to talk to her anymore. Of course she noticed that Eddie got a cold, because his voice sounded totally wrong on the phone. Still, he insisted on talking to her for a while. She was a little happy about that, than she thought, he really doesn't want to have anything to do with her after the thing in the club.

Looking back on her sixteenth birthday, she actually behaved like a spoiled child since then. Funny that she now could finally see that clearly after her little vacation. She always found everything so unfair, and so she clung partially to the possum. The thought was, if everything else seemed bad, she could choose for herself when she can be happy. It was so stupid of her.

Ruby finally saw that it was dumb of her to press Eddie in the corner like that. In addition, she brought him into some unpleasant situations. Was it still tolerable to fool around with the opossums after all that had happened? Certainly not.

Probably the two needed a break from their mother anyway. Although she could be really nice if she wanted to. At the same time, she was also very tiring when it came to cleaning.  
Nevertheless, the telephone conversation with Eddie doesn't go out of her head all the time.

Not only because it seemed strange that this was ill once. No, there must have been something else that wasn't quite right in the picture. Since she had known the opossum for a while, she knew their behavior almost by heart. But this evening, during the telephone conversation, her conversation partner doesn't really behave like himself. Perhaps it was only the cold, but she heard things from him that he would never say in such a way. Ruby wondered if Crash noticed that too, but she doesn't want to stay so much by the opossums anymore. Just going there and snooping around wouldn't be a good start. But couldn't you also worry as a normal friend?

The young skunk sighed, then she was supposed to arrive here properly first. That meant going home, unpacking things and letting a few days pass, in which she thought only of herself. Well, herself and the school. Since today was Saturday, she has to visit that again on Monday.

But something good came to her in the next time. She finally turns eighteen. For a long time she had thought about it in the summer school and it wouldn't be so wrong to make a driver's license with the earned money. At least her mother couldn't say that she was throwing it out of the window. If she was lucky, Peaches even helped her there. Sometimes she has the feeling that the female mammoths were the only ones who gave enough patience to bear with her presence.

Of course, she could also ask Ellie for driving hours, but she heard that this already had enough to do with her new job. One of them would never have thought that the mammoth mother would stand as a candidate for the vote as mayor. She found the idea quite good and as soon as she got back into the school routine, she would ask if she could help too. Because distraction was always better when one wasted the time for a good cause.

As she strolled home, she also wondered what the molehog had done all the time. Her mother mentioned so by the way that Peaches has left her boyfriend, but this never knew all the details. On the other paw, it counted probably to interfering too much. She doesn't want to do that anymore. The skunk doesn't only want to pretend to be a adult, but really just be one. This also meant not always pushing her head through, if others doesn't agree with her. Perhaps she should also say something like sorry to Louis for her persistent and annoying appearance.

But first coming home and resting there was more important. A part of it was, no one knows that she came home already. Her mother thought this holiday was going on until tomorrow and went to work today. Ruby was planning this on purpose, because she really wanted to relax in peace. When she entered the apartment, she could, because there was no one here.  
Peace can be so beautiful, she thought. Because that was the only thing she rarely, or not at all, got in this summer school. Like how, if you had to share the bedroom with others. Before, she doesn't know how good it can be to be a single child. Well, if you take it exactly, she doesn't want a sibling at the time. Besides, she doesn't believe that her mother was still thinking about a second child. This seems to be partly happy that she was grown up.

Ruby wondered why her mother has never brought home a man. Apart from Crash, which doesn't really counted, because this belonged rather to the circle of friends. Still, she wouldn't find it bad if her mother wants to marry something like this. She could already see this, like her mother was trying not to be interested to much in the celebration of the saber-tooth tigers. But then stands up to get the bridal bouquet in the paws. It was good that up to this event was still time, so she might find someone for her mother.  
She shook her head, than she shouldn't interfere too much. Otherwise it ended with that her mother put her again in such short term boarding school. Even if it was somehow funny, in the winter she has no desire for such thing.

* * *

 

Finally Peaches has also managed to get over the unpleasant conversation with Nathan. Strange that she thought she missed him, but when he hung up, she doesn't want to talk to him again. His reasons, why all this happened lately between them, were quite odd too. Her now ex-boyfriend actually turned to ask her father if he could marry her. At first she couldn't really believe it, but she talked with her mother about it and it was the truth. Besides, Nathan was never the type that lied with such things. Nevertheless, she now knew that her answer to the proposal was definitely no. The other mammoth only wanted to marry her, because someone from his family had become very ill and he has to take care of it. She wondered what her job seemed to be there. Should she just play the loving wife and look after the household? In addition, she must move away from here.

She wouldn't be able to get it over her heart. Not only because of her parents, but here in the city lived everyone of her family and friends. Well, she wasn't yet in her mid-twenties, but going with Nathan alone in a region unknown to her, she wouldn't be able to endure that. The homesickness could grab her already at the arrival of the strange place.

In any case, now everything has been done and she made a good end with her ex-boyfriend. True, they said to stay friends but she doesn't believe the other mammoth would call her in the near future. Of course, she could understand that if he doesn't want to do anything with her anymore. After all, you mostly separate because of this. One simply couldn't bear the nearness of the other any longer. Now that this was cleared up, she felt much better and could look at everything more positively.

And then came the moment with her new problem. But she already had a solution, or at least an approach. Peaches has a little more time this noon and so she thought it would be good to visit her best friend. Firstly, because she never went to this workplace anyway. And secondly, because apologizing from face to face was simply better. If she was lucky, he could even eat something with her somewhere nearby. She would rather like that, than to quickly pray her text down before him. It was pretty stupid to have to apologize for a cause if you not even know why you had done it.

It will go fine, she thought to herself as she entered the building where Louis to her knowledge was working. Everything looked very noble here, but somehow not for archaeology. Well, with her father she doesn't also recognized at first sight what he did when she entered his company for the first time.

She saw a sign with different information, but she has no idea in which area the molehog was active. Maybe she should have asked him more about his job. But she always thought he doesn't want to talk about it. Now she got the knowledge why. Her little friend probably thought he would bore her with it. What was the reason for this otherwise?

However the mammoth shook this off for now, than she couldn't stop and sink into her thoughts here. She was certainly in the wrong place for that. Thus, she stopped the next animal which just walked past her.

“Sorry? Is there such a thing like a information point?" She felt a little stupid. After all, she could have asked the molehog by text, where exactly he worked in this building. But she doesn't want to take any risk that he's forbidding her to come here. It doesn't really sound like her best friend, but lately she found everything possible.

“Oh, if you are new here, you must go back there." The elderly bear who was standing in front of her, looked up from her cell phone and pointed to a glass door with the words 'information' on it. A little embarrassed Peaches said thank you and her opposite sank quickly in this again with what was on the screen of the small device. If she had not been so preoccupied with herself before, she would surely have noticed this door. However, now it doesn't matter. The animals at the information were quite nice and told her, to which floor she has to go. They couldn't tell exactly in which room Louis was staying, but the mammoth wanted to avoid that they called up and reveal that she was here.

No sooner she has arrived at the right floor, she almost jostled someone. Opposite, a few folders are stacked so high that one couldn't see the face. Peaches bent down immediately after the fallen paper.

“I am sorry. That wasn't really my intention." She explained, as the changing pile finally turned and a really beautiful vixen appeared. She put the folders on a cart and then turned finally to her.

“Are you looking for someone specific?" The mammoth nodded and asked if she knew anyone with the name of her friend. The other animal then pointed to a door that wasn't far away from them.

“Thank you. I wanted to go out with him for lunch. That is when I don't get in the way now.” Peaches doesn't know why she told that a stranger. Probably because she hoped the woman could help her. After all, she also worked here. Then the fox made fleeting a peculiar face, as if something bad was being said. But it flew away as fast as it has come.

“You will not be unwelcome. But knock on his door first. He doesn't like it when you just sneak in." Her conversation partner said with a wink and pushed the cart with the folders around the corner. Now she stood alone in this corridor and went to the workroom.

Be relaxed, but not too put up, she thought, before gently tapping at the right door. There was even the name of the molehog, so she couldn't miss it.

“Come in.” Then she opened the door and she thought she was in the wrong movie when she saw her best friend. The windows here in this office were huge, so much light could shine in here. He sat at a desk and next to the computer, he had also spread some fonts and drawings on the table. Louis wore glasses, which she saw rarely too, although she knew he has one for reading. These serious facial expressions don't fit to the prickly one. Here he doesn't seem to be cute at all, but rather like a grown-up. There was something else she noticed on him, but she couldn't really describe it correctly.

“Do you see, Fio? Knocking isn't that hard and when..” It made Peaches a little nervous that he just stopped talking when he saw her.

"Hey." She greeted him with a little waving gesture before explaining why she was here.

“Oh right, it must be already after twelve o'clock.” With this he pushed up his glasses and looked at the screen.

“Maybe it's a good idea to eat a real meal.”

“But only if you really don't mind. I don't want to keep you from work or anything like that.” Shorty she got a puzzled look for that sentence.

“It's really ok. Besides, I wanted to stretch my limbs anyway." To emphasize this, he put his paws up. Then he laid his reading glasses on the desk. Behind the door hung a jacket that Peaches noticed only now because she was still there to marvel at the room.

Louis must do a really good job that he can work in such an office. That were her thoughts, but at the same time she has no idea of archaeology. She just has to keep it in the back of her head to talk about it in the future. But first, they both have to get behind a difficult issue. Well, it was probably only awkward for her, than her friend seemed like usual.

“The drawing on your table... Did you make it by yourself?” She just has to say something when they both climbed into an elevator. It seemed to her it was to much too quiet here , for that was worked in this building.

“Oh, I just made that by the way. We found so many parts last year, but unfortunately nothing of it was complete or uninjured. Anyway, I was wondering how one of the items probably looked like before it has suffered like this. Of course, just pure speculation, but perhaps an approach to what it might have belonged and..um, what am I talking about here? It certainly bores you."

“No, no. After all, I just asked you about it. Besides, it's kind of fascinating to listen to you.” Because it was also somehow rare that he talks almost without a break and so enthusiastically. He was her best friend and now she discovered sides that she has never seen before.

Little suspiciously looked Louis in her face, but when he wanted to add something, they already were down with the elevator. Of course, he knew why his friend was here, because she hasn't said anything more since she just disappeared from his home some time ago. He doesn't really mind that because she said she would have to work. He was much more interested in whether the mammoth has still something of the evening before it in mind.

They sat down in the cafe nearby, even though Peaches was a bit disappointed because he doesn't know a better restaurant. But frankly, he left the building very rarely, if it wasn't the end of the work at the evening. And also, there was a canteen at his workplace. However he couldn't concentrate on it for a long time, because after they had both ordered a cappuccino and small snack, the mammoth came fast to the point.

“I'm sorry. I don't really want it to happen."

"What? That you visit me at work?" He asked jokingly, because he doesn't really like the swing of the mood. She sighed and looked a little insulted at him.

“No. You know exactly what I mean." Immediately she looked at him apologizing.

"Even if I was drunk, I wouldn't... I shouldn't have done that." Louis found the strange how his conversation partner reacted, because it was nothing special in her eyes.

“I was just stupid and Katie too. She shouldn't have delivered me to you."

"She just wanted to be nice." And he found it better that Peaches landed at his place than with anyone else.

“If she has drunk a little, thinking isn't really her strength." The mammoth looked out of the window, in order not to have to look at her opposite.

"I know it wasn't exactly smart of me to drink so much. But I can promise that this will not happen again in the future." Then she looked at the molehog, in order to be able to read in his facial expressions how he saw the situation.

“So, do you forgive me?" Sometimes he wondered what the mammoth could all do to him without him getting angry. Because of course he felt no anger towards her. After all it was just a harmless kiss.

“Peaches, you haven't done anything bad. Therefore there is nothing I should forgive you." He explained and the service brought the hot drinks. The largest animal waited until they were back left alone before she went on.

“Louis, being friends doesn't mean you have to take everything lightly. If you're angry, you can really say that.”

“I don't get it. Why should I be angry?"

“Well, because...friends just don't do something like that." She doesn't really know how to explain that, because she doesn't even understand what was so wrong about it. Wait! Thought she really just for a moment, it would be fine to get close to friends in this way? No, that was absurd, because Ethan was also something like a friend to her and she would never want to kiss him. And the guy was a mammoth.

But this doesn't seem to be the problem here. Peaches really thought she had arranged her thoughts. Desperately she sighed softly and held briefly the hands before her eyes. With one of them she then supported her head, while her elbow was on the table and the other just wanted to grab her cup. But then she felt a cautious touch. The prickly one had grabbed her hand with his paws and now looked at her cheerfully.

“Everything is ok between us. Really. Besides, it was even a bit better for me that it has happened to me than to any stranger.” The mammoth wondered whether the little one wasn't clear that he was really lucky. After all, she could have done anything to him with all her strength. Immediately, she had images in her head that weren't supposed to be there. So she nodded a little and finally drank a sip of the cappuccino.

“You know I'm not such a mammoth who does something like that with everyone." She wasn't sure if she should mention it at all, but somehow she wanted Louis to know that.  
And she doesn't even know why. This meeting suddenly seemed a little pointless to her, but she couldn't pull it up and just stop talking to him. Her mother found the situation harmless. She would like to know from what angle the older mammoth looked down at something like this. Maybe then she wouldn't also have a problem with the whole thing.

"Of course."

“I want to be honest with you. I really don't know what I was thinking." The food was served and she paused again until the waitress was far enough away. Peaches felt relieved that her friend was still sitting with her at the table. But at the same time she wished he were a little more strict. Forgiveness doesn't mean forgetting at the same time. They should discuss how he felt about it and not pretend that nothing happened.

“At first I thought my life would be all right." This time, she started a little quieter.

“That I really have some happy years with Nathan and that's all about it, forever." As she looked thoughtfully out of the window, Louis turned slightly to his drink. It looked like, his best friend still loved the disappeared mammoth. Unfortunately, he couldn't help her in the matter and that made him a little angry.

"Louis? You're going to spill your cappuccino." He looked at his paw. He has grabbed the handle of the cup unconsciously and held it.

“I'm...just going for little boys." And he got up and went for a toilet. Peaches remained a little puzzled. It seemed to her as if she had said something wrong, than the molehog was staring angrily at the table. Perhaps that was all theater before and he was mad at her. But why did he pretend that everything was all right? Or did it hung together withe the work as an archaeologist? No, he would have been in a bad mood from the start.

“Now you can really tell if you're angry with me." When her friend sat back on his seat, it just came out of her. Probably it helps if she says what she really wants here.

“I shouldn't always burden you with my problems. It is only understandable that you are somehow annoyed by it. So let us..." But he has to interrupt her.

“That's not it. I think it's only mean that Nathan left you so quickly. I mean, you always looked so happy when you told me about him. It was far from fair from him to treat you like that.” Louis broke off when he realized that at the end of the sentence he became louder and louder. Some animals in the room already looked at him.

It wasn't planned that I make an idiot out of myself before her, he thought. But these thoughts disappeared very quickly when a clenched paw was touched. Surprised, he looked the owner of the hand again in the face.

“That with Nathan I try to get behind me, because frankly, we never really fit together. We liked to ignore problems in the relationship. Or should I say I did. You shouldn't think too badly of him because I have also contributed much to the separation. For example, I never said that I loved him." A little ashamed, Peaches turned back to her food. She wanted to be honest, but she doesn't expected that from herself. Finally, she doesn't want her best friend to see her in a bad light.

“Because you didn't dare?" She then heard his voice again. The mammoth thought briefly about what to answer, but then she found it good to remain by the truth. Than she could tell anything to Louis. She doesn't want to start having secrets, or even lying to him.

“I think I never said anything because I just haven't loved him."

* * *

 

Meanwhile, Ellie was inspired by all the positive things she could experience with her new task. First she had partly believed more her husband and wanted to stop immediately as soon as it turned out that she wasn't really suitable for the job. But that would come so much encouragement from many animals that she takes up as a candidate, it still surprised her. The voting will only be in a month, but from the idea in this cellar until today happened so much.

Diego and she had also to expect that they couldn't win. But it was still a great experience, because she learned more about her city, where she lived for so long. Some information can't be approached as a simple citizen. Although it wasn't really their intention to reveal secrets, but this is what happens when you want to keep up with the big animals. But she also knew that the saber-tooth had promised her husband to take care of her. So far, this one doesn't really have to. Than even if female mammoths are often considered to be quiet and inconspicuous, they can also distribute, should it matter.

Nevertheless there was a little inconvenience today. With all the things she has imagined, it wasn't really this. Obviously it was normal for the reporter to eagerly ask questions about everything. But still today's conversation came a little unexpected. In addition, the journalists have firmly bitten themselves downright in the subject. They should have been talking about education and work in the city. Instead they talked for almost half an hour about whether or not she has a deeper relationship with her secretary. Ellie thought they were the longest thirty minutes of her life. How could you lengthen a short period of time like this?

“Sooner or later this would have happened anyway.” The saber took the word when he came to their office and brought some coffee. After the conversation with these animals, which were so eager for any information, finally came to an end, Diego disappeared as soon as the reporters were out of sight.

“Do you think so?" The mammoth couldn't even look at him because she thought that thing here was a little uncomfortable. Still, these animals out there were somehow right. She preached that in this city some rules and laws were simply too strict. At the same time, she doesn't have a plausible answer as to why she couldn't fall in love with her secretary. She couldn't just say because he was a saber tooth. The title page of tomorrow occurred already in her mind.

“Hey, that's no reason for despair now. I mean, what has our love life to do with the candidacy?” Then she raised an eyebrow and looked at him a little skeptically.

“Did you really wanted to say that?"

“We were lucky that I didn't mention anything like that before." Meant the tiger a little embarrassed, scratching his head briefly. For him, the whole thing was less surprising, but he doesn't thought that the public would ignore the relations between them and simply struck them as a suitable couple. He seemed certain it had to do with it, that Ellie was advocating carnivore in the city. The opponents now began to use their weapons to look for weaknesses.

“No, we shouldn't let that stop us!" Declared she determining and hit lightly on the table, that the coffee cups wiggled. There will always be gossip and they can't change that.

“I agree. If there is such a saying again, we will simply explain that it wasn't meant to be like it and that is why we are only working together."

"This suggest somehow a bit that we had something with each other in the past." Defensively the saber tooth raised his paws. He hasn't meant it this way. At least it doesn't sounded like that in his head.

Ellie stared at him for a moment before she smiled and reached across the table to crawl her secretary over her head.

"You're not going to be embarrassed?" She teased him as she sat back on her chair.

“I...uhm." She laughed really now, because that was already a rare sight. Normally, she knew something like that from Manny when they had met freshly. Somehow flattering that she managed to get that out of other men too.

"It was just a joke, Diego. When I start to flirt with you at work, then Shira will surely serve mammoth stew for dinner as soon as she hears of it."

"Stew?" Diego was a little confused. They were first imputed an affair, and now they talked about strange cooking recipes. Not exactly as he has planned his day.

“I don't know also what you can cook from us. Recently I saw in the TV..” He has to tell Manfred that this must block the channel with the brutal criminal cases. Ellie watches this a bit too often.

“But back to the important things. Your statement of earlier would nevertheless also confirm that different species with different habits wouldn't get along.” The saber-tooth also tried to concentrate quickly on the significant things. So he took out his mobile phone to plan the remaining appointments better. Journalists rarely helped each other, but when it goes around that romantic relationships between different animal species could be their weak point, then the topic got certainly still more frequently taken up.

“That's true, but before we worked together, we were both forgiven. Do the animals of today have no respect for traditional values? But the more sensational the story, the better, right? Maybe we should also.." But the mammoth stopped him there fast.

“Definitely not. I will not condescend me to this level and think up lies about our competitors." Perhaps Manny got it a little right and his wife was too good for this work, Diego thought. At the same time, he doesn't want Ellie to go home with disappointments.

“Because we don't have to. I found some interesting info on the web last night.” She announced with a grin and pushed the screen of her mobile phone to the sabers face. Well, she wasn't that much of an angel, he thought and smiled a little when he read the first article.


	11. Still Confusion

“That was fun!" Crash declared sarcastically after he had finally put the shopping bags in their apartment. Simply dropping it could be called exactly, but no one saw him. Besides, it was either the heavy bags or his arms. And he was reluctant to renounce his limbs.

"This was really a torture." With that statement, he left the food lying simply there and walked into the kitchen. When he filled a glass with water and drank it, he felt a little better. Shopping could be really hard, if you have to do it alone. Otherwise, he always went with his brother and they liked to fool around. Their new household help had unfortunately a short patience, which concerns such games and again he was fast to clean something here. Before the possum doesn't know that they had so many things in the apartment that they could clean up.

As he lingered on the sink and thought about his stressful life, he was only beginning to notice something. The water tap dripped a little, but that was the only thing he just heard. He thought hard about whether Lorene mentioned earlier that she still had to work today. No, he was sure, she strolled from work here this morning. But in the case of a nurse, it was the same as with the doctors. If emergencies occur, everyone must work with overtime. Or not?

Crash rolled his eyes at his own thoughts. He shouldn't care where the skunk was. In addition, the younger specimen reappeared a few days ago. Perhaps her housekeeper only went home, because she was a mother too. He was much more astonished that Ruby hasn't come up here yet to take care of his poor brother. Also he admitted, if she wasn't playing the unapproachable and the party-animal, the girl could be really nice.

But he has long stopped questioning what she found so great about Eddie. Was this really just a father complex or was there more behind it? The other possum emphasized again and again that this skunk was only a confused child. To this assertion he has to listen since the little one got fourteen years. Maybe she was confused at that time because of the whole feelings chaos. But in this club, the young lady seemed to be anything but confused. None of his ex-girlfriends had ever told him so clearly what they felt. However, Ruby threw these words to his brother's face in front of strange animals and her mother. Of course, then the girl's temper got wild with her and she still packed an insult on it. But this was to be expected, than they both crossed her plans.

He was already a little curious as whether the young skunk was really sticking to the rules of her mother. The summer school was certainly not so much fun that you wanted to go there again next year. Although somehow Ruby will be eighteen and then her mother could certainly no longer send her to such a place. Besides, she grew slowly over their heads. Perhaps the girl soon realized that she wanted to hang out with other animals. He already knew how Mister I-like-to-be-sick-so-long will react then. On one paw Eddie complained that he doesn't want to be seen as a father figure, but on the other paw, he behaved exactly that way.

There are probably crazy times coming to them. Just when he thought that her big sister might be mayor of the city, he had some ideas in mind. Ellie would surely say no to all, but he can still dream. Even though they were always labeled as the idiotic possums, they were really proud of their mammoth. That's why they promised not to do any stupid things in the next time. And there they both really thought before that their sister hasn't got anything about the thing in the club. Either Sid or Lorene chattered to much at a tea party.

However, now it doesn't matter. Because Eddie was still playing the weak guy, he couldn't stand alone against a larger animal. And Ellie has sure something else in her head as to care for her childish brothers.

For a moment he was really getting a little nostalgic and thought of the past. Her mother would certainly be very proud if she could see them today. Well, less with what he and Eddie did. But it always seemed to be important to her that they are happy. And Crash could claim to feel something like that. Of course, not everything worked out always. There was much confusion, which often were arranged by them. But as long as they had their family and friends, he always believed in the good.

It was a good thing he just thought of all this. He would never let such kitschy stuff come over his tongue. That was all Eddie's fault anyway. If this wouldn't complain all the time, then he probably wouldn't have such thoughts.

As he slowly began to unpack the purchases to distract himself, he was glad that her mother never got the idea to put Eddie and him in such a summer school. They might have deserved it.

“Did I buy a salad?" The food he brought with him, they would probably never get by themselves. He just hoped Lorene was still going to cook all the stuff or whatever you did with an eggplant. At least he thought that this purple thing was one. It stood on the paper and he compared it with the descriptions in the supermarket. He couldn't do anything wrong there.  
Also he found it a little unfair, that he doesn't even get a little money to buy something for himself. For that he has to cope with this effort alone, he earned a reward. Unfortunately, he doesn't dare to forget something and to take a thing for himself. Because he was afraid that he has to clean something again when he arrived at home. He doesn't feel like to do that. If he had known that her housekeeper wouldn't be in their apartment on his return, he would have been able to get at least one cup of chocolate ice cream. That would be really tasty right now. But no, they had to eat healthier. Yes, he admitted that everything was delicious, what Lorene had prepared for them. Nevertheless, a little sweets and other unhealthy stuff should be allowed occasionally. Not even Ellie was that strict as they both were still living with her. In addition, the healthy eating will disappear very quickly as soon as the skunk does the same. Crash felt really a bit fitter, but that was certainly because he has to work so hard. Perhaps the ladies will be happy about it as soon as he finds time to go out again.

A little annoyed, he hoisted the last pouch on the table. The shopping was already stressful, but by the unpacking you have also so very little fun. He doesn't even know where some of the things in the kitchen belonged, because they haven't had some of them before. Maybe his lazy brother knew where to put rinse aid. This could leave his room today. It wasn't like he wanted to see him so bad.

“Hey Eddie? Could you bring your sick ass in the kitchen?!" He shouted to the other possum as he sniffed at the soap. Crash smelled wild berries and thought that it would be very idiotic to taste the stuff. Perhaps he could make the other to do that.

But as before, there was only more silence when he stopped rummaging with the packages. Now he noticed that it was a little too quiet here. No caught or choleric moans came to his ears. He was bellowing so loudly that his brother had to understand him even when this was sleeping. Annoyed he let go of the purchases and marched to the room of the sick possum. But he doesn't even think of knocking or being quiet.

“Dude, you could be slow with the..." He complained but he broke off when he switched the light on in the dark room and no other animal was found. Eddie's bed was empty. So he ran to the bathroom, and here he also just opened the door. No one was there again. Perhaps his brother got up and went out, although it was forbidden by nurse Lorene. For safety, Crash looked down in the shop. Than it doesn't have to be that the other stays there too long, because this was too weak to come up again. After all, he has cleaned everything up and this bacteria slingshot shouldn't contaminate everything once more.

“Why don't you turn on the light? I know for a long time that you read this magazines with..” Once again, he dropped the sentence when he doesn't spot anyone. He grabbed his cell phone and called the disappeared one. As expected, no one answered. He found it really strange. But for the time being, he ran upstairs again to put the remaining purchases away. Of what he has no idea where to go with it, he just put in the corner next to the refrigerator. Then he saw that a small piece of paper was attached to it. The skunk probably thought that one would see white on white perfectly. What was the colored paper there for, he wondered. However, his head was completely empty quickly when he realized what was written on the note.

“I went to the hospital with Eddie." He whispered to himself, and he turned back to the sink, than he has a lump in his throat that couldn't be swallowed down without water.

* * *

 

“Sorry again because of that night. But I wouldn't have thought you'd just jump on him." A little offended, Peaches walked beside the mammoth, that should actually apologize to her and Louis. But Katie found the whole thing rather amusing.

“Come on. Nothing bad happened." The peach-colored mammoth sighed, than she couldn't even tell the molehog why it felt wrong and also she said not everything to the girl beside her. Now, she wasn't finding it any easier to tell this stuff.

“Yes, it's all right." Actually, she was on the way with the blond, because this wanted a new piercing. Near this studio was also a tinker shop, where she got something for some posters. Even if her mother doesn't win, what her father secretly hoped, they all had a good time and learned something from it.

Although she was a bit worried that Eddie still seemed to be sick, but she was assured that he was already on the road to recovery. She found it really strange to meet Uncle Crash alone. Although the opossums weren't grown together, it was very rare in her childhood that she met an uncle without the brother. Probably because they all still lived together in the past. It was weird that this time seemed so distant and she missed it a little. The reason for this was surely that she lived alone now. But she did a lot with her friends and the family, to not even think that she could be lonely.

“Or is he really mad about it? What I can't imagine, but I could talk to him." Her friend brought her out of her thoughts.

“What? No, you don't have to. Louis isn't angry. He said himself that nothing bad had happened.” The other nodded with a lightly grin, what she doesn't really understand. But she doesn't have to, because the reaction from her best friend still occupied her. Why was she the only one who couldn't forget this? The reason couldn't be because she has never done something like this with another animal before and now she was curious. No, definitely not. Besides, she only remembered pictures and not how it felt. She couldn't tell anyone, because she was supposed to forget the incident and not try to recall every detail in her head.

“Maybe I should go to him and let him press a smooch on me. Just so we're all even.” First, Peaches was a little irritated about it, but then she gave a fake and quiet laugh out.

“Yes, do this. He will be happy about it." She added sarcastically.

“Ok, I'll write him now, when and where to meet for our first date."

"What are you thinking?" That came more annoyed from her mouth than she intended.

“Well, it's decent to go out before you rip each others clothes down." The peach-colored mammoth got a little nervous when she realized Katie really wrote a message to the molehog. She quickly took the phone away, because there was already a peculiar mood between Louis and her. Although they both claimed that everything was fine. Or did she just make the whole thing strange? In any case, the other mammoth doesn't have to aggravate it with her original humor.

“Stop these games!" So she deleted the text and then put the thing in her bag.

“Don't be so jealous. I just wanted to invite him to the party." The blonde complained.

“Of course. That's why you formulate your messages so ambiguously." Why does the thought that Katie was going out with her best friend irritated her? After all, both were grown up enough to know what they wanted. So she sighed and took the phone out of her bag again.

“I don't know what's wrong with me today. Probably I am really a little jealous when others are happy." Then Katie pulled her by the arm, while with the other hand she was already sending an text. They both stood now in a nice restaurant.

“Come on, let's sit down. I have no desire to walk more with a empty stomach. Earlier, I was too nervous to eat.” The two mammoths sat down at a free table, and immediately a gentleman came to them. The drinks order went relative quickly.

“Why are you still getting nervous when you let yourself be pierced? It's not like that's your first one.” Meant Peaches and thought that she should deliver the stuff she bought for her parents still today.

"Yes, but you're also not ticklish at any point." Replied Katie, put her phone away and thought that was a good comparison.

“Besides, you should also have one. Just to celebrate your independence." She added, but she knew exactly how the other would react.

“No thanks. It seemed we should quickly find someone for you. Otherwise, you're full of metal in a year."

“Very funny, Peaches. Tell me, how does your mother's campaign go now?" But the addressed one doesn't come to answer it, than a group of girls walked past their table. They were smaller animals, but they were also louder. To the misfortune of the mammoths they sat exactly behind them, so they both had to listen to the babbling.

“Forget this guy, Shenaia. If he thinks that one woman isn't good enough for him, then he should just piss off." Katie found her place practically, because she could also observe these smaller chatterboxes. But her friend came into her sight and looked at her questioningly.

“You should look for a real man again. Like your ex-boyfriend." A different girl said a bit infatuated now.

“Maybe you're right." Meant the one with the name of Shenaia. Peaches couldn't believe that she was watching the strangers as well, because they were reflected in the window. Only the girl, who probably also has a separation behind her, was hidden by a plant. She should probably answer Katie finally and try to ignore the others. They were only a little upset and will surely calm down quickly. Besides, they don't intended to stay here for a long time either.

“So she is.." But then the conversation behind them went on.

“Right, call him. Although his name was strange. But haven't you said, he was very good in bed?"

"Since when is Louis a strange name? And yes, he was very good." They have nerves to discuss such things in the public. Hopefully there will not come any more details, thought the peach-colored mammoth. It also wondered why her companion was staring so transfixed there.

“I did mention that we were separated for good reason. Because I can't be with someone who loves another. Unfortunately, he isn't the guy you can just call for.." There they were, the unpleasant information, and so she stood up a little louder. Katie held her hand to her mouth, but she knew this was hiding a grin.

When she was standing in front of their table, she just wanted to say that she would disappear shortly, but then she just happened to look at this other table. What shocked her a bit was that her gaze crossed with one of the girls. A little now she was confused because she was staring at a molehog. It made the previously heard things no better. But nobody had mentioned that this ex-boyfriend was also a molehog. And Louis could simply be a widespread name. Even though so far she only knows one animal with that name. There were coincidences in the most peculiar situations. At least she would have a funny story to tell on Saturday night when she meets the prickly one. They both had agreed to meet again at least once a week to do something together.

Now she realized that the little one doesn't turn her eyes away and that made the whole thing really strange. Probably the other girl was only lost in thoughts, and looked at her accidentally. That happened also to her many times.

"Katie, I .." But she was already interrupted.

"There she is." This Shenaia, if she understood it correctly, also pointed at her now. The others from this group also turned to her.

"Uh, sorry. Is there a problem?" She inquired to finish the whole thing finally. The molehog girl also got up from her seat and stood in front of her. The little one looked really cute and Peaches envied that a bit. But she wouldn't say anything about it now, than smaller animals sometimes don't like it when you describe their size with well-meaning words. She then inquired about her best friend Louis. First name could still be a coincidence, but when the surname was also right, then one couldn't confuse things anymore.

“Then you're Peaches?" Came the question and she was looked at with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes. Since I have always been friends with Louis, he has probably mentioned me once or twice, hm?" She said, smiling slightly, hoping that the prickly one doesn't revealed embarrassing anecdotes from school. Her opposite laughed softly, shaking her head a bit.

“Good. Do me a favor and greet him from Shenaia. Also tell him he's an idiot." So the little one turned to her group, said good-bye and left the restaurant.

“That was really strange. But our Louis has a good taste.” Gave Katie out as her companion sat back on her seat. Peaches found this more than just strange. The previous conversation sounded as if the girl wanted to make contact with her best friend again. But why should she call him an idiot? The separation took place a year ago and since then much has happened. Perhaps her prickly friend would also like to see this Shenaia again. She wanted to write a message to the molehog, but it was probably better to wait until the weekend. It could also be something unpleasant and she doesn't want to annoy Louis with it or something like that.

* * *

 

Meanwhile, the silver-gray tigress strolled with her son and perhaps the next mayoress through a more elegant clothing store. Actually, they had come here to dress Ellie, because she needed more formal clothes, if she was more often in front of the camera in the future. Then the mammoth woman came back with something, which she really shouldn't look for here.

“Isn't that cute?" And the striped dungarees were held to the little saber that Shira had been carrying all the time. Diego only mentioned by chance that their mammoth friend needed new things, but she couldn't just send her fiance for that job. The man had so little idea of clothing for the female sex.

A few years ago, she made the offer to her tiger that he could buy her underwear for Valentine's Day. He thought it was a trick or something. There she really wanted to be nice, because she has read on the net, that guys like this. It was something with searching the wrapping themselves or so. She doesn't know anymore. In the end Diego came with something that she could wear, but wasn't made for her at all. Everything was pink and rose. Or was it called salmon colors? Then it glittered also in some places. That was what she doesn't care about when she has washed the stuff 'accidentally' too hot in the washing machine. She couldn't just bring it back because she doesn't wanted to disappoint her partner. Then she marched herself into a shop again to find something quite different. So she surprised the other sabertooth then, when this came unsuspectingly home from work. She grinned to herself as she took these memories back in front of her inner eye.

But she quickly changed back to reality when Aunt Ellie exaggerated it with the clothes for her son.

“This is all very nice to look at, but I don't think you fit in there. No, seriously, he has enough things. He also grows very fast. And I wouldn't put my fingers there for too long.." But it was already too late and the little one nibbled at a finger of the mammoth.

“He can grab one vigorously already."

“Wait until the first teeth come. Then he will want to bite into everything." There, as parents, they have to take particular care of their friends, because their child doesn't know yet what to do and what not. Should he even be in the vicinity of a smaller animal than that could be gnawed quickly.

As soon as Ellie pulled her hand away, the little tiger made a grimace and then screamed. The mammoth looked apologizing at her friend, but that kept a cool head and took the teething ring out of the bag. She also fasten this on the top of her son, so that the thing couldn't fall down if the small saber tooth should let it go. This looked a little unhappy, but when he realized there was nothing else, he chewed on the ring.

Afterwards, Shira shooed the mammoth into the changing room, because slowly she also had no desire anymore to stand in this too warm room. She also wondered how her friend with the thick fur endured that. Then everything went relatively quickly, even if Ellie doesn't try everything what was brought to her. She said that she just wasn't a saber, and despite all the formalities, wanted to show off a little of home. This meant that there was always something colorful or a flowery pattern. But the tigress found it also fine and saw later herself that she had it a little exaggerated.

“Shall I drive you home now?" When the women finally made it to the parking lot, it began to rain slowly.

"It would be good by the weather." The little saber tooth was already a bit sleepy and Shira thought it should be better if she puts him in the bed right now. The time was like this when you have children. They always came first. Ellie understood this, of course, because she know this from the past when Peaches was still a baby. So she said good-bye to her friend after she made sure that she was with the child in the dry home.

It's funny how life could go. Than all her old accomplishments, which were carried out during the day, were almost gone. Not that she really complained, because that was to be expected with the job as a candidate. Nevertheless, she already missed it a little. Now, at noon, she doesn't have to call her husband to chat with him about the food she was preparing. She couldn't even go shopping quickly or also drop by their friends. That today with Shira was an exception, because this found her husband had no taste in clothes. Inwardly, she was glad to see the tigress again because all the time she heard only of Diego how this was doing. Before this work she could always have convinced herself. Now she has no time for short visits.

On the other hand, she couldn't show it anybody because all around cheered her up and were enthusiastic about her and the new ideas. However, most of the time they were the ideas of her secretary. It was true that she did manage something here and there, but the saber just knew how to communicate better with other animals. She still found that he was more suitable for this job.

But like this they had also something to laugh about. Her husband doesn't found it particularly funny when he was reading in the newspaper in the morning that his wife might have an affair with her secretary. But then he finally saw that not everything was true what was shown in the media. In her opinion, was Manny a far too easy convincing mammoth. Her friends, on the other hand, found the article really funny, because this knew all that was fictitious. When Lorene wrote her an text, that you should try everything once, her husband naturally responded a little sensitive.

Grinning, she drove the car to his place in front of their house. Than she saw that her mammoth was already in the kitchen and tried something again. This took it really serious to make something to eat when she came home later. And if Manny made an effort, then his specialties could really be great. Ellie would say, this had only made it comfortable in the last few years and had become accustomed that she was working in the kitchen. Maybe she should have given him the chance before, but there was never a good reason that he had to do it. Of course, she would have understood if he had done nothing, than they both went to work now. And just because her job lasted longer, doesn't mean that the one of her husband was less stressful. But until now she always got a meal when she came home in the evening and she was proud of her cook.

“Well, what are you making today?" Ellie greeted the other mammoth from the hall as she put her bag aside and then went to the kitchen.

“Is more like a recipe from remnants.” Explained Manfred quieter than usual. She blinked into the pot, thinking nothing of his tone first.

“It will taste good." But when she finally looked at him, she knew there was more going on.

“What's wrong? Stress at work?" She leaned in front of the stove a bit against him.

”The best thing to do is you sit down first." She looked up again at the oppressed voice. Now she realized that something was really wrong. So she sat silently on a chair in her kitchen.  
Manfred then scratched a little helpless at the back of his head. He simply doesn't know how to deliver the news, because he also doesn't want his wife to worry unnecessarily. On the other hand, he doesn't know whether these worries would be so unnecessary. After all, there was already a good reason.

“Now just tell me what's going on!" Probably he made her nervous, because he remained silent for too long.

“Good. But remember, even if it sounds bad, it's not so serious."

"Manny!" The other mammoth again demanded and he sighed.

“It's Eddie. Apparently he had an allergic shock and is now in the hospital."

”And you are still saying it's not so serious?!" Ellie stood up energetically and wanted to storm out again. But she was quickly stopped by the other.

“Wait! Lorene assured me that he isn't in danger of life any more."

"Not anymore?" Then he has realized that his choice of words wasn't the best. But he still tried to hold her in the place.

“Besides, you're tired and they will not let you in at this time." Although he doesn't know whether they would make an exception for his wife as a candidate, but they don't have to find out that today.

“He is fine now, because they are taking care of him there." So he pulled her slowly back into the kitchen so she could finally eat something.

“Come eat something first and then we go to bed. Tomorrow morning, we can drive there at once." The female mammoth nodded, even though she'd rather go to the hospital right now. Yes, she was a little exhausted from the day, but that still doesn't mean that she let her family down if they need her. But probably her husband was right, at that time she wouldn't get anything. So she really could only hope that her brothers are alright. She also thought of Crash, because she knew how the two behaved when they were separated. Ellie would like to speak to him, but she left it with a message and also sent one to the skunk. Than she was tired too much to make even more worrying discussions.

Then she ate the meal that Manny cooked, with this rather in silence, because her thoughts always began to circle. The male mammoth put his hand occasionally on hers and she was glad that he doesn't start big talks about something else. Perhaps it would have helped and distracted her a bit. But probably she would have just broken a senseless argument from the fence, why she wasn't informed about her brother earlier. Her counterpart had certainly his reasons and she doesn't want get upset so close to sleep time. So they don't speak a word to each other this evening before they finally went to bed.


	12. Realize Something

"Come closer my child. You have been always the dearest of all my grandchildren." Crooked Eddie jokingly. The lying around made his throat dry so fast.

"This isn't funny at all." Ruby said a bit annoyed. Actually, she doesn't wanted to get on the nerves of the possum for a while, but it was difficult when one of them was in the hospital. It wasn't easy for her not to run in right here, when her mother reported the news. In addition, she had to wait until the rest of the family withdrew, because somehow she had been willing to admit before the others that she liked Eddie, but the mammoth mother was something else. She doesn't want to cause Ellie any more trouble because she was always there for her when she needed to talk to someone. Neither her mother nor Peaches know about it, but the female mammoth could also be concealed when it mattered.

Since she knew that she felt a little more for the one possum, there was no more dare to speak openly with Ellie. After all, the larger animal was anything but has fallen on the head. She also thought about it during the summer school and was ashamed of her past deeds. Even if she explained it all, the mammoth would try to keep her from the idea of having a deeper relationship with Eddie. Simply because it was the most reasonable solution. Sid had hopefully not blabbed it out and as far as the brothers were concerned, they sure haven't said anything of the evening. Her mother always talked to Ellie, but she will hopefully keep that to herself. She wasn't really sure of it.

Ruby couldn't say anything to her, because she doesn't want to disappoint the mammoth. She doesn't want that the friendship between the families breaks because she has a little crush on Eddie. But she also thought that at fifteen years. Now she was going to be eighteen soon, wondering when this would stop. If he had at least something on him that made her run away. Even now, when he lay so weakly and anything but good-looking in his bed, she wanted to lie down with him.

“Now don't let your head hang like that. One might think you're worried about me." He patted her paw a little, as if she were a toddler. Either he really doesn't saw that she wasn't a kid anymore or he treated her with intention this way. She could never say with certainty what was true of the two things.

Without saying a word, she slipped closer with the chair and took the paw, which touched her briefly. This felt so thin between hers. Eddie probably lost weight. Why did the possums have to be so idiotic and develop a phobia against hospitals? Of course, she also found these facilities not really inviting, but at least she went there when she had to. Fortunately, this was very rare so far.

"Why so much feelings today? The doctor has said that they only want to find out what I am allergic to and then I can disappear from here again. I've given them the tip, they should try it with skunk hair, that had been too much around me lately." Then he grinned. At least he tried it. The stuff, which should ensure that his throat doesn't swell again, unfortunately also paralyzed too much his face. The girl in front of him also looked as if someone had died and it was his fault. He was still alive here and he doesn't intent so soon to go in a wooden crate. How could she manage it that he stayed in the bed, but still felt bad about it? He also couldn't help it if his body suddenly decided to do such things.

Now she lay down with her head on his bed as well. Eddie doesn't know how to help and simply said nothing more. If she was angry or in a good mood, he could handle her. He couldn't stand this here, but he still had no idea what to do. He sighed annoyed and pulled his paw away from her, because that was slowly getting too warm under her head. But before she could get up from the bed, he began to stroke her head. Not as fast as he always did when he wanted to tease her, but slightly slower. Later he would push the action on the medication and the hospital air. And there was nothing to it when he did this. It only looked as if a father would stroke his daughter's hair. Can parents do this with their children, when they are already at this age? He doesn't know. But actually, it doesn't matter to him what others thought if they were seeing this.

After a while she stood up without a word and went into the hallway. Eddie sighed and tried to close his eyes. At least until two other animals came loudly in. He had forgotten that the room wasn't only for his own.

"Did you see that ass of the girl?" Asked the guy in the wheelchair, who had broken his leg because of some stupidity. At least that was his thought since he first noticed his roommate.

"Yes, she was so hot. Didn't she come out of the room here? Maybe she'll come back."

"Nope. Whom is she going to visit here? The dying old geezer over there?" Both guys laughed and Eddie vowed to find out the address from the two so he could play them pranks when he was fit again. For now, he doesn't get up annoyed, because that would only hurt his body. Apparently, the hospital had all the other rooms full. That would be the only explanation why he must share this with such an idiot.

"Let's go out again. It's so boring in here." Eddie was glad to hear that.

"There she is again. Too bad, she got a boyfriend already." He still heard, and then opened his eyes again to see to the door. They couldn't have meant Ruby before, because she was alone here, he thought, clawing his paws a little in the blanket, than he can't stand up and get out of bed alone easily. In addition, the door closed completely, which left him almost nothing at all from the outside, except some animals were standing in front of it.

"Those are such idiots." Remarked the young skunk, annoyed as she stepped back into the room. She has only got some tea and brought along more visit. Than Louis was now also standing next to his bed.

"Does he still live?" The molehog has previously seen that the possum moved and was now only joking, because he also found it strange to see Eddie like this.

"Very funny, wiener." Squealed the animal in the bed again. Ruby handed him something to drink at once, as he straightened a little.

"Now you come to visit me too, huh? Ungrateful pack! Always want to have extra pocket money, but when grandpa Eddie is barely sick, the brats don't even come to the hospital." The possum continued to rumble after drinking. He was forbidden to speak unnecessarily, but this was too much fun.

The prickly one doesn't said anything, but merely rolled his eyes, then looked to the skunk. This shrugged only her shoulders to it. A little it surprised him that he met Ruby here. He also wondered why she wasn't here with her mother. Finally, he heard from Peaches that this was here this morning. But then he remembered what day was today and that the girl had surely to go to school. Such things are forgotten once, when one doesn't deal with that for a while.

"So you're still quite fit, hm?" Said the younger man, and was also a little glad about it. But before he could get an answer, the door opened again.

"Louis, you could have waited for me." Peaches has entered, but when she saw the skunk she knew why he wasn't waiting for her.

"I'm sorry, but she just dragged me here." The mammoth had already thought of it, so she dropped the subject and went to her uncle's bed.

"Hey Eddie, is it going fine here?" Of course, the animal in the bed couldn't play games anymore by this glance. Peaches looked so like her mother when she was sad or worried.

"Everything is ok. I'll be out of here soon. So stop coming here and pulling such depressed faces." Now he explained easily, and the bigger one smiled a little at it.

"Well you do crazy things, too. It wasn't very nice of you to frighten Mum like that." Scolded the mammoth a little, but also saw that her uncle had not really done it with intent. Nevertheless, they were all afraid when they got the news.

"Now everyone was once in a hospital. So we can check it off too." She added a little quieter to change the mood, because she doesn't want Eddie to feel guilty.

"Well, almost." Whispered the animal in the bed and looked a bit sorrowful on the blanket.

"What do you mean by that? If Sid wasn't here yet, don't take it so hard." When the molehog mixed in it suddenly became quiet.

"It isn't about him." Ruby also knew that Crash was the only one that hasn't yet appeared here.

"He has to make the store work by himself now. This is certainly not easy for him." She continued to cheer Eddie up a little. After that the thing was simply ignored by the present possum. The other three animals knew that Eddie was depressed that his brother doesn't come to visit him. But they couldn't do anything there. Peaches knew that the two made things out under themselves for years. Her mother also said no one should interfere in this.

"Next time you can bring something nice to an old and sick man." Croaked the striped one when they were told that the visit time was over. This said them a young and nice nurse. Nor did the hermlin lady object to shaking the patient's pillow. Ruby wondered where the hippo from before was, that she met in the hallway. This nurse seemed much too pretty for the guy in the bed. Nor did this paid attention to her any more. Probably because his gaze was too much attached to the chest of the helping woman.

"Why are you still staying there?" Louis wanted to know, because he had already said goodbye with Peaches, but they should take the skunk with them.

"My house key was actually in my pocket." She answered and slammed the door a little before she marched off. Of course the key was only used as an excuse, because she wanted to be alone again with Eddie. But this one did it quite well without her. She knew, of course, that she was in a state of jealousy, which wasn't really for her at all. But she couldn't change the confusion in her. Even if she persuaded herself that she no longer liked this possum in this way, it wouldn't happen overnight.

"How about we go to the cinema? Isn't that straight down the street?" The skunk now needed change and the way the other two looked, they too. Even a blind animal could see that something had happened between the two. However, Louis seemed more normal. Peaches was the one who glanced at the molehog absently when he wasn't looking. Ruby hasn't gotten everything from the story with Nathan, but maybe she shouldn't know it. Her head was already full of other things.

"I don't know. Actually.." But the mammoth had no chance of unlocking her car at all, because Louis already grabbed her hands.

"Come on. We seek out a dumb movie, to laugh about it afterwards.” The skunk girl blinked as the smaller one pulled the bigger one with him. She could say what she wanted about the prickly one, but he always had to keep an eye on others. In this case, of course, it was again about the mammoth. But she thought before he doesn't noticed that something went through Peaches head. Apparently he doesn't even have to look at the bigger one to know what was going on. Even if you don't know all the background stories, you also really don't know what to think of that.

But then an imaginary light bulb came over the skunk and she grinned a bit diabolically. Maybe a movie with a romance between two different animals is in the cinema. Her two friends are now single again. She has to take advantage of that. Of course the whole thing shouldn't be too conspicuous on the poster, otherwise the man with them would immediately say no to it. Finally, the prickly one wasn't stupid.

"Well, yes. You've convinced me. But for that you have to buy the popcorn." There was a slight smile of the mammoth and Ruby wondered if they still knew that she was there too. Perhaps Nathan has also noticed that Peaches and Louis sometimes behaved more like a couple than it was appropriate and had therefore simply quit. But she doesn't disturb the two now, because she has to look on her mobile phone, which movies they could watch in the cinema.

"How about a horror movie again?" Suggested the tallest one at the entrance when the posters were already on display.

"First, how long will you wait here? We have it just half past six in the evening. Second, we have a minor in our midst." Explained the molehog, who was at the same time glad that the mood of his friend has improved a little. Of course, he realized she was worried about her uncle, but it was said that he was on the way to recovery. And so the skunk was right. They all needed a little change. If only for one evening.

"I could write to my mother that I would stay with one of you. Then we can still see your horror movie." Ruby said that played poppy, because actually she had quite different things in mind. If she was lucky, the evening was still quite funny, because a certain film actually ran here. In addition to the romance, it is supposed to have action. So she doesn't give her money out just for nothing. Besides, it would be noticeable if she wanted to go to a movie that was schmaltzy, because everyone knew she doesn't like this. In the net, she doesn't saw many pictures with her mobile phone, because this time again it doesn't want to load. But when she saw the poster on the wall of the film, she had to master herself not to smile even more conspicuously. The couple from the film consisted not only of two different animals. No, the male part was also a bit smaller than the female colleague. Quickly she had to check something on the Internet, because the film certainly had a hook. The whole thing just seemed to be too perfect for their situation. But she doesn't have much time to crawl all the forums for information about the story, because they couldn't stay here until she knew everything. The skunk had to accept it. She also wondered if she could really go through it now. Wouldn't it be a little nasty to let Louis run into the open knife?

On the other paw, it would be interesting to see how Peaches would react. Than she knew nothing about her. And just because the mammoth had so far only one kind, doesn't mean that she wouldn't also like to fish somewhere else. It only came to her mind that she had always done the whole thing wrong. Ruby always wanted to make the prickly say something to his chosen one. Perhaps in the future, she should make sure that Peaches took the first step in the right direction.

"You want in that movie?" She was probably asked because she stood too long in front of the poster.

"Didn't you just said you want a movie which you can laugh about. This looks like the perfect candidate." Meant Ruby loose and put the phone away. Fortunately, the picture in front of them gave nothing out.

"What else did you want to see? This animation film with these humans?" The other two just shrugged.

"So let's just watch this movie. You wanted something to laugh." So the skunk marched in with the hope that the others would simply follow her. And it really worked out, than neither the mammoth, nor the molehog decided for another one. When they arrived in the cinema hall, she has to resist the grin again.

"I'm sitting here." She said, taking the place to the right. Then she directed Peaches to sit next to her. So she sat between the prickly one and her. Most of the time, darkness prevailed among the seats here. If Louis knew what was going on, he could just kill her and no one would notice it. Ruby was aware that he doesn't like such things. But at the end of the film there is perhaps a real happy ending and he will thank her. Or the molehog will instead of digging out something, he will bury a thing for a change. Namely her and their friendship. Does she go too far with the movie?

She shook her head as some trailers ran for other films. Now it was too late to get out of here.

* * *

 

"Won!" Shouted an excited sloth and rushed into the office of his buddy.

"What?! That can't be. Came the elections already to an end?" Then Sid was a bit confused and then he remembered what his opponent was talking about.

"No, I didn't mean that. And I will not tell Ellie how much you enjoyed her victory.” Now the mammoth seemed a little relieved, but wanted also to know why his friend would burst in here. He should also change the subject quickly.

"That doesn't understand the eternal single anyway. But who won what? You in the lottery?" Manny doubted this when he dumped some files properly, but at the time everything seemed to be possible anyway.

"No. Much better."

"What else is there for an increase?" Finally the mammoth looked up and his buddy now holding up two scraps of paper with a wide grinning face. The larger animal tried to read what was printed on it, but this was impossible with Sid's jumping around.

"Well, guess it."

"Just tell me. Because I still have some things to do, as you should see." Manfred pointed to the unedited papers on his desk.

"Brooke." Beeped out the smaller one in higher tones. Somehow the other had the feeling that the said word should tell him something.

"A nursing home for your grandmother?" He asked a little enthusiastically, than he still had bruises from the stick of the old sloth.

"Do you need tickets for this nowadays?" It came back a little perplexed, before the other shook his head.

"This are cards for Brooke. I won them at a radio show. Isn't that simply fantastic?"

"Still, I don't understand why you're making such a big deal out of it?” Manny tried to keep small things on his desk while his buddy danced around joyfully.

"Because this are tickets for Brooke and then also in the front. I am the happiest sloth in the world."

"It's ok. Now calm down again." So the big animal stopped the other one, who was giggling and turning like a roundabout. When he made sure the intruder was a bit quieter in his office, he left his shoulder.

"So is that a magic show or something like that?" Finally, Sid fixed his attention back on the mammoth.

"What? You don't know who Brooke is? Manny you want to make fun of me, right?"

"Does that mean no, it has nothing to do with hocus-pocus?" For a moment, thought the bigger one, than if his friend has two cards, and this wasn't running after a lady now, the question remained open, with whom the he would go to this.

"Honestly. You should hear the radio sometimes, or even listen just to music, and you maybe have a better mood."

"I haven't heard that just now. So is it a concert?"

"Yes, because Brooke is a very well-known and talented singer. You should really do something about your general knowledge."

"If you come to me like this, then my answer is no." Then Sid fell to his knees in front of the desk.

"Oh, please, Manny! Actually, I wanted to take Ellie with me, because I thought with you she comes so rarely out of the house. But when I participated in this competition, I didn't know that she would soon rule the country." The gaze of the mammoth got a little bit dark, because it wasn't so bad for his wife, if she doesn't just want to be a candidate.

"You already know that the thing with persuading works differently." Then he sighed.

"So that we can understand us correct that isn't yet a firm promise! But when will the concert be?" Because Manfred was clear that he wouldn't be able to get rid of the sloth again until he showed a little interest. Data were exchanged quickly, and his buddy even trusted him to give him the cards because that doesn't want them to be a victim to the blunderer. Then he managed to shove his friend out of the office. For Manny it was already clear why Sid doesn't go to one of the others. Diego and Ellie were still busy with the candidacy. Shira has to look after a child. The possums would either argue about the one card or don't want to go at all and Sid's grandmother had certainly no desire for such thing. He could still suggest that his daughter should go along, but he doesn't know if she still likes that.

In addition, he doesn't have to send his child knowingly to such events. He followed her once, when she was at a music festival at the age of seventeen. He would never understand what the kids loved about it and feared the worst. In the end, Peaches doesn't drank alcohol or took any medicinal herbs. Ellie had predicted it exactly the same, but he was very nervous at that time because his little girl soon became eighteen years old.

Well, now he wasn't also the calm and understanding father, but that there was no wedding around the corner anymore, relieved him a little. Of course, he gave his daughter all the luck in the world and he found it a pity that she had separated immediately from Nathan. On the other side, there were certainly better men out there for Peaches, who also let themselves a little more time with everything.

* * *

 

"So that was really a varied movie." Ruby explained with a forced smile.

"I'm going to leave for a short time." She wanted to go with Peaches, but she was held up by a paw. She tried to calm herself again, because Louis would never really kill her here. Too many witnesses nearby.

"Have you completely lost your mind?!" Or he freaks out and everything else doesn't matter anymore.

"What? I couldn't know that the plot would go out like this."

"Ruby I'm not stupid. If you were rich, one might even have said you produced the garbage yourself."

"So now you really exaggerate. Besides, it has nothing to do with either of you. You interpret too much into it."

"I interpret too much into it?! She was quite pale and couldn't even look at me." Ruby rolled her eyes, than she really thought she'd get a reaction from the mammoth. But it was only the usual theater of the molehog.

"Firstly, you can talk quieter, I'm not deaf. Secondly, this is certainly not the first movie that Peaches has seen, which includes such things. I admit, the love scene came over a little exaggerated, but it wasn't a movie for kids either. And they put also much action into it." Louis tried to screw down his anger. On the one paw, because he doesn't want to hit the skunk girl down in public and on the other, because it was also suspicious, if he would be annoyed all the time. Peaches would also notice this and then ask questions. So he breathed deeply, than what happened couldn't be reversed. Still, he grabbed Ruby by the shoulder and pressed her against one of the pillars that stood in the entrance of the cinema.

"Just so that we can understand each other right from now on, when my secret comes out, I let yours out too." He came dangerously close to her with his face, to look at her angrily. It wasn't his usually style and he doesn't even know if he did it right. But with this girl there had to be some things that she finally drops the subject. Apparently, it worked, because for a moment she looked a little panicked.

"It's good." The skunk shook him off and drank the last sip of her lemonade before throwing the mug into the garbage.

"Sorry, it took longer, but apparently you don't go here today because of the films, but you meet in the toilet." Said the mammoth a little annoyed, but then seemed normal as always.

"So, what are we going to do tonight?" She asked, and by the prickly one fell a stone from the heart. Apparently, he had previously really interpreted too much into the behavior of the mammoth. This was now more relaxed. It also seemed as if it has almost forgotten the worries of the day. So Louis sighed and then smiled. So he doesn't have to worry about certain things tonight. Still Ruby owed him something for this chaotic movie.

"How about if we get something to eat?" The skunk needed a while to be herself again after the words of the prickly guy. Because she wondered how he could find out that she was also in love. In the end, she wasn't as obvious as the molehog. Or was she? No, that was nonsense, because otherwise her mother would have found out beforehand and advised her not to meet the possums any more. This still doesn't want that she makes big planes with the brothers, but since one of the two got in the hospital, there was probably an exception. Or at least from her point of view.

Luckily, the molehog was something like normal again when they were eating pizza. She wouldn't have endured this attitude with the evil eyes all the evening. The guy was also sometimes really sensitive in the wrong places. She probably should be thankful that they allowed her to go with the 'adults' to Louis home.

"I remember I should greet you from your ex-girlfriend Shenaia and say you're an idiot." Shocked, the prickly one spit his drink immediately out again, that he just took to himself and then coughed also a bit. The problem was, Ruby was in the way.

"What was that?" The skunk stared at him a little annoyed, pointing at her now wet shirt. He was already with tissues on it to wipe the rest from the couch off, because apparently he was good in far spitting.

"Everything ok?" Now the mammoth inquired from her little friend, than he seemed a little alarmed since she mentioned the name of this girl. He nodded hastily, but doesn't even looked at her.

"Yes, of course. Just simply ignore me here. Limo doesn't stick in the fur or so." Mixed the skunk in before the others could chat on.

"I'm really sorry. Wait, I'll get you a towel and an old shirt from me." With this the molehog quickly disappeared from the room. Peaches looked a little depressed after him. Probably the moment hasn't been well chosen to raise the subject.

"You met his ex. Tell me, what does she look like?" Pushed the striped one, as she took some handkerchiefs to dry herself.

"Um, just like a molehog."

"You know exactly what I mean. Was she hot or something?" Peaches considered that briefly, that is a description she would never use with a molehog. It just doesn't fit in her head.

"Well, she was very pretty."

'The prickly girl could put things on that I can never wear.' However, this part she thought only, because it would sound strange, if she said that out loud. In fact, she found it weird that such thoughts arose in her head. Bows and ruffles were never her style. Dresses and short skirts are also out of the question. These clothes looked sweet on children, but she was an adult mammoth. With this size one couldn't describe anything with cute.

"Here, I've only found that." With that, Louis came back and threw the garment and a towel to Ruby. This probably wasn't thinking it through, because she immediately began to undress her wet top. However, Peaches was quick to pull the fabric down again. At the same time, she pressed her friend to herself because she wanted to keep his eyes shut.

"Are you crazy?! Disappear in the bathroom! You have to wash the sugar stuff out of your fur."

"Okay, okay. You better be careful that you don't suffocate Louis here." So the skunk went annoyed out of the room. Even if she was naked, she doesn't believe that the only man here had paid much attention to her.

"Wasn't on purpose." With this the mammoth loosened the grip from her little friend. She also doesn't know what was coming over her. Without thinking, she held her hand against Louis eyes and pulled him back to her body. Could it be that she reacted this way because she thought the other could like what he saw of Ruby? She hastily banished this thought from her head. That was nonsense, because this never showed such an interest in the skunk. Nevertheless, the two behaved strangely in the cinema today. In addition, the prickly one still belonged to the male species. So that wouldn't leave him quite cold.

"Alright, okay." With that, the little one slipped a bit on the couch away from her. The gap between them was suddenly much bigger than before. Surely it only appeared so because it was getting dark and only the TV ran along. Earlier she sat, as usual, on the left outside on the couch. Her friend then put himself on the right side. Ruby could have placed herself in the middle, but she preferred to sit in the armchair. Previously Peaches has to slide this extra from the window, where the occupant enjoyed reading a book, nearer to the coffee table. She found the girl sometimes really strange, but she also doesn't want to discuss with the skunk. As long as Louis doesn't mind that they shift his furniture, there was really no problem.

"So, eh, would you like to meet your ex-girlfriend again?" It wasn't really her business at all, but she asked anyway. Well, she had to transmit this message, so she could be a little curious. She also tried not to remember everything Katie and she heard in the restaurant. The prickly had always been her little cute friend ever since she has met him. Even though she could understand that he doesn't want to hear this. However, now she slowly came to a point where she began to see him differently. Namely, that he was also a man. She doesn't even want to. Nathan started with this strange thing just because she liked to wear a certain necklace. Then came these feverish dreams, which she had when she caught a cold. On the day she tried to persuade herself that they had not happened, just like nightmares. Nevertheless, she had thought about it in the last days. All this made so little sense and if she would tell Louis about it, he would certainly find that ridiculous.

"Hey, are you still here?" She blinked and looked to the side to see a worried molehog.

"Sorry. Perhaps it was a little too much at work today." She said, and decided to leave. Actually, she had already strained the time of her friend enough today. After all, Louis wouldn't have had to come to the hospital, nor play the entertainer for their evening. Otherwise, she was actually the talkative of both of them. Something pulled her down and Peaches absolutely doesn't know what it was. But her mood shouldn't rub off on others to.

"I'll go, then." Than she could still pretend to be tired of the day. She also wondered why she'd gone to the apartment at all. She could have gone home at once. Does it bother her that Ruby spends a bit time alone with her best friend? A little. But saying that out loud would be childish.

"So I'm clean again." She heard the skunk proclaim in the hallway.

"Great, I can take you with me right away."

"What? But I don't want to.." But the skunk had no chance, because the mammoth already grabbed most of her things.

"Louis certainly has also other things in his mind than to entertain two silly girls." Peaches added, before she said goodbye to the prickly one. This one doesn't found the right words anyway to stop the other two. So he made up his mind to see what he was messing up in the living room with his spitting around. It was still a mystery to him why he had been punished so much recently. After they had brought this alcoholic accident behind them, he actually thought it would be normal again between Peaches and him. But then the skunk suggested such a movie. What was only worse that Peaches has met the girl from whom he separated because of the mammoth. As if it wasn't embarrassing enough. Maybe the mammoth wanted to hold back because of Ruby, but he was sure that Shenaia was chatting about him.

Everything is ok. Just make the living room clean again, thought the molehog and tried to remove the small spot from the carpet. Normally this would have been enough tomorrow, but he needed a distraction now. That's why he will scrub the stain longer than necessary.

One was busy with the cleaning and the other two almost home. To deliver Ruby to her mother wasn't difficult for the mammoth, although this was wondering. Apparently the younger skunk had already written an text that she wanted to stay with Louis over night. Peaches said nothing about Lorene's educational methods. On the other side, the child was only on a summer school, but suddenly it seemed to be perfectly fine to sleep alone with adult men. What else could happen?

She shook the pictures off which wanted to get in her head and also said goodbye to the skunks.

The journey to her apartment seemed so long and monotonous. Nothing good came from the radio. The street and the houses were unfortunately still the same. She just needed a hot shower and then her bed. All just nonsense, what jumped into her mind around. If she doesn't dream of it, she wouldn't be disturbed in her sleep.

Sighing, she got out of the car when she finally arrived. She wondered again what was going on with her. Hit her the separation from Nathan more strongly than she thought and now she clings emotionally to the next guy? Granted Louis just wasn't anyone. He was her best friend. It is precisely for this reason that she shouldn't have such thoughts about him. Whether he is going to resume a relationship with his ex or maybe start something with Ruby, she should support him. After all, she will soon have someone for her side. She always seemed to be a strong and independent woman, and that is what attracts males. Even if she just doesn't feel like it. But if it was time again, she doesn't want Louis to remain alone. Maybe she just had to be the good friend in this time and play the matchmaker. Strange that she couldn't imagine the molehog in a relationship. This had already some behind him. She doesn't see all the ladies of him, but this encounter with this Shenaia confirmed her that her best friend had a sense for women.

"Uh, sorry?" A gentleman spoke to her from the side and took her back to reality. She was glad because of her size, than her opposite looked rather shifty.

"Yes, can I do something for you?" She doesn't want to have any prejudices, because maybe everything was just harmless. The night made the situation look so creepy under a flashing street lamp.

"Can you tell me what time it is?" Relieved, she took her cell phone out of her pocket, but turned not too much from the guy. At the same time, this was a mistake then suddenly she noticed as someone pulled on her jacket from behind. Before she knew it there was something pressed to her mouth. Although she wanted to breathe through the nose and shake the one on her back off, but the other with the question of the time, also squeezed a cloth on her trunk tip. She still managed to turn, but fell to the ground anyway.

"Good night, darling." Then she heard someone laughing, but there was nothing more, because everything went dark.


	13. Abducted And Old Friends

Slowly Diego wondered whether the election campaign was called like that because it was more like a real fight, than on the first thought. Of course the thing couldn't be so easy, otherwise anyone could do this. Still, there were some things that he doesn't even think animals would do. Some of the opponents do as if Ellie wanted to enact the complete laws. But also here he knew that they only acted like that because of him. Probably it would have been a better move to keep him hidden as a work partner.

The day finally came to an end and he was looking forward to spending a little time with his family. He couldn't see them less lately, but when the election came to an end, there will certainly be no other way around too. Unless the female mammoth would also search for someone else to work with her. Such similar ideas hovered around in the back of his head, and he should probably wait first to see if Ellie ever won. Their plan to publish past stories about their opponents wasn't so easy. Than it shouldn't look like as if such things were their last straws. They wanted to do all the trickery without mentioning in the press that they found some information.

Wherever he was thinking of journalists, he got that woman in his head again. When he tells Shira that an antelope flirted with him today to make the interview more interesting, she would certainly laugh. Luckily it was an article to be printed. If this had become a video for the net or TV, he would have to listen to it for a month, that he made a lady of this species a little embarrassed. Even though it might soon be possible for more carnivores to live peacefully here, he couldn't simply put down his inner instincts. In this case, an antelope defeated a saber-toothed tooth, with words of course but it still scratched on his ego. At best, he will not even mention it at home. When Ellie reveals it, his girlfriend will have enough to laugh.

Worse enough that the ladies are constantly sending messages to each other. So Shira also learned that he was already looking through magazines for weddings. He just wanted to know a bit what such a spectacle could cost. Here and there, he got a little clever, but he never counted the whole thing together. Even if they haven't set a date yet, he found the time between the spring end and the beginning of the summer quite tolerable. Until then, it was almost ten months, and if his fiance wanted it, then they can celebrate it later. But he would like to have an approximate goal, because they shouldn't be one of those couples who are eternally engaged, because they can't agree when the wedding should be.

Diego should perhaps not mention at home that he was already entering a bridal shop. It was a little strange for him, than he saw Shira there in every dress, which was visible. Also he doesn't believed that thing with bad luck if he sees the dressed bride before the ceremony. Nevertheless, it would be a nice surprise for him to find out only at the altar what his tigress had picked out for her.

All the thoughts about his wedding, made him somehow sentimental and he doesn't wanted to show now that he was a cuddle kitten. He couldn't describe it exactly, but perhaps he couldn't be weak anymore as a father. Of course, he was conscious of the fact that Shira sometimes only teased him, but still he wanted to be a good example for his son in the future. Since he had left his old pack, he also learned that feelings haven't anything to do with weakness. Just like his girlfriend. It wasn't easy for both of them to leave all that behind and decide for a peaceful life. Some may not believe it, but that was the difficult way.

However, now he was standing at the front door and should get such things out of his head. After all, he has everything he ever wanted and so he could be happy. Everyone has doubts here and there, but therefore was the partner on the side. But he doesn't want to talk too deeply into such conversation tonight. Perhaps the Midlife crisis began, he thought jokingly, and opened the front door.

"What a day. Hey Shira, I should really.." But he broke his sentence of because oddly he doesn't heard anything. Nor could he smell anything. Perhaps he only caught a cold, with the animals he met all day that can happen. His wife felt maybe not well and therefore she went to bed early. He couldn't take offense in that, because being a mother was sometimes also very stressful. And he doesn't know if she slept last night at all. It was true that he heard his son cry only once. But now that he was thinking about it, he couldn't remember when Shira came back to bed. As soon as the election campaign was over, he really has to take a few days off. Perhaps his fiancée needed peace for herself and he doesn't even noticed it. He wouldn't want to be such a husband who simply ignored this things.

Arriving on the upper floor, he sneaked into the room of his son to see the little saber tooth. If he doesn't get to see him very much during the day, he would at least look briefly at his peaceful face when he was asleep. But there was no baby in the crib. Probably Shira took the little one into the bedroom, to keep him busy. So he went to the bedroom to look around there, but he got only silence and darkness again. He quickly searched in the rest of the rooms up here and then ran a little panicky down. Finally, they had it almost half past ten. It was rare for his wife, even without a child, that she went out so late without him. And she couldn't be with Ellie, because he had just said good-bye to her.

There was no one in the kitchen. The living room was also wrapped in darkness. Even if he doesn't believe that the two saber-toothed tigers were in the cellar, he also looked there. But again he found no animal.

He hurried back up to grab the phone. He had to call someone and send a search group or something. Diego noticed that he was supposed to take air, so as not to panic. Surely there was a simple explanation for all of this.

However, he cursed when half an hour later the police just brushed him off. They can ask around, but it would be probably too early for searching. His wife and child could have disappeared since this morning and may be in danger, but these animals weren't interested because they were saber-tooth tigers. His kind could take care well of themselves. Of course, nothing was said directly, but the hints were enough. Or he just couldn't think clearly in this case.

"Here." Of course, he also called his friends. At least he reached Manny and his wife. Although he doesn't told the two they should come right away, but his buddy probably wouldn't leave him alone in such a situation. Ellie doesn't said it directly, but when she handed him a coffee in his kitchen, it was so clear to him.

"We'll go and see what we can do." Announced the male mammoth, who hung on the phone for a while to find out some things. Diego felt miserable that he couldn't even say what his fiancee could have done the whole day.

"Have they said anything yet?" He asked energetically as the two went to his doorstep. He noticed the look exchange between the others. So his friend kept something from him. But Manfred ignored his question and marched out to the car.

"Listen, I want you to stay here. When the police calls again or Shira and the little one come home, then you can be there for them. If anything happens, we will call you first. But please stay calm now. I know I can easily say this, but you've seen what some of the animals think of you at work. I'm not concerned about the election, but about you and your family." For a moment, he looked begging at Ellie, probably hoping that she would take him with them. Unfortunately, she was right, because he should better stay here and so he just nodded. The woman patted him again sympathetically, before she also disappeared outside.

As soon as she sat in the car, she hit the dashboard. Because she found the whole thing more than unfair. They should have caught her. After all, she wanted to change the country. But in the eyes of their opponents, there was little point in kidnapping her. Of course she was still trying to believe that there was a simple explanation for everything. But she knew Shira and also knew that this wouldn't simply leave without a note.

"And that's why I'm sitting behind the wheel." Her husband remarked and probably meant her brief outburst. She had to stay strong in front of the saber tooth, because he looked as if he were going to panic any minute. So at least they both had to remain calm.

"Why can't they turn to us directly?!"

"You're already starting like Diego."

"But Manny, he's right. Everything tells us that the two were abducted because of the election campaign."

"Maybe they are.."

"Maybe what? Shira decided spontaneously to leave the city?" He sighed loudly at it and started the car.

"Yes exactly. You don't believe that either. There's a lot that we might not know about her, but I can definitely say she wouldn't leave our Diego like that." So she fastened the seat belt and looked out of the window to distract herself from her anger. Ellie was clear that an election campaign can't be a sugar lick, but that animals and even children get kidnapped, never came to her mind.

"Maybe she's only with a friend or workmate and has forgotten the time." The male mammoth tried to calm his wife, but it was apparently too late.

"Of course. And she immediately decided to stay there and her battery from the mobile phone was also empty. So she couldn't call home."

"If I had said all this, you still wouldn't give any rest, would you?" He got an evil look for it.

"How can you remain so calm in this situation at all? Above all, I know you've learned something from the phone call." He sighed, thinking that he could keep this information for himself until they reached the destination with the car.

"One has found something." And that was the last thing he gave of himself. He doesn't understand everything on the phone, because the connection became bad. Nevertheless, he doesn't have to tell Ellie everything immediately. It already made him whacked that a saber-tooth-cub was found. Even if Manfred only knew his friends of this kind, it was still not for sure whether this was Diego's son. He hoped very much that the guy was no longer chatting about the find because the child was still alive. Silence could also mean other things. But he refused to allow any imagination in his mind before he saw the clear facts. If it were for his child, he would want to act just like his buddy.

Nevertheless, one had to remain calm in this situation in order to be able to regulate everything with clear thoughts. Ellie was very strong for outsiders and she could even convince a saber tooth. However it was clear to him, that she took the matter very seriously and she was very concerned about the disappearances.

When he had to stop briefly because of an priority traffic sign, he grabbed her hand. For him, it wasn't easy to say that everything was going to be all right. That it was really a series of misunderstandings. It was clear to him that criminal acts were going on in their town, but he thought more about the theft and embezzlement of some money. That there would be perhaps a kidnapping and murder, he never wanted to think about it.

As soon as they arrived at the little police station, he looked at his wife again briefly. Finally, they could really expect everything in the building and he wants to save Ellie as much as possible.

"Don't try to say anything to keep me in the car!" And with that the female mammoth got out. He just sighed and left the car too. Because if not like this, he has to try to keep his wife back a little in there. For this he had to run a little faster now, Ellie was already at the entrance while he was still lounging in the parking lot.

"Especially with such things you should... Sid?" When Manny was with the other mammoth again, he also saw a well-known sloth sitting in the hallway.

"Guys, what are you doing here? I hope the big one hasn't done anything bad?" The last sentence was whispered with an upheld paw.

"Haven't you got any news?" The mammoth mother ignored the words. But when his question was denied, because of Sid's mobile phone the battery was empty, she explained the whole story quickly.

"That's terrible. But I think the little one is doing quite well."

"How do you know that?" Manfred asked, than now wasn't the time to tell fool things.

"Just when I arrived here I heard a baby whine. It seemed familiar to me, but I don't thought it was Diego's son. Besides, I couldn't see him and the policemen wouldn't let me go to the little rascal anyway, just because I know him. By that everyone could come." The mammoth mother nodded sympathetically and felt a little relieved. But their meeting was disturbed by a fourth one.

"Do you belong to him and his grandmother?" Then the mammoths came back to ask why their friend was staying here. Apparently, Sid's grandmother rampaged with a friend in a pharmacy because they don't got the right drugs. However, Manny cut himself off with the cop from the rest turmoil to inquire about the man with whom he telephoned. He was also sent immediately to this. A little he was glad that Ellie wasn't taking care of him and that he could fix it alone. He also lied a little and said he was looking for the toilet.  
In the right office arrived, he knew immediately that the little saber tooth was really alive. He still doesn't saw him. But the policeman at the desk had fresh bandages and patches on his arms and face. Something told him very well that the wounds came from a small killer cat. The only foolish thing here was that he forgot to take a note from the father with a signature. This would only allow him to pick up the child. He simply doesn't thought of that trifle, and in the past he himself already made such notes when his friends wanted to pick up Peaches from the kindergarten or school.

But fortunately, they all had the latest technology and so a call to Diego was enough and this sent an e-mail and a fax to the ravaged gentleman. The policeman then wanted to have some data to be sure. A little annoyed he gave that out but he could understand that, because if something should happen, the man behind the desk could lose his job.  
As they went back across the hall to get the little one, Ellie greeted him with a slightly angry look. Manfred looked at her briefly apologetically before he went past her to follow the policeman.

But when she finally saw the little saber-tooth, she forgot all the trouble. The animals here seemed to be quite happy that they finally released the child. Even if they weren't opponents of carnivores, it was generally rare that they had to take care of a baby. The mammoth mother was very glad that there were still helpers out there who don't just ignored the screaming little one. Even if it was a saber tooth. Than without a mother something else could have happened. Ellie tried to make it clear that Shira also doesn't expected to be kidnapped. In spite of this incident, she found the criminals a little too cold-blooded. It was only a election. Why should you bring such a small kid in danger because of that?

"What did you think?" Sid's exhortatory voice, letting her look up from the little cat.

"Oh, don't make such a drama about it. The pharmacist himself was to blame." Answered the old sloth and just ran out of the door. Since nothing was stolen, but some things were broken, only a punishment in the form of money was required.

"I agree. He shouldn't have been so unkind to this lady. Youth has no respect anymore." An old hare continued to follow Sid's grandmother. At first the young sloth wanted to add something, but Manny stopped him and said that the older animals wouldn't hear him anymore, even if he would scream after them. In addition, the male mammoth wanted to avoid the fact that they got noticed here even more. Since they don't have much in their pockets, they shared the money for the rampage. Strangely enough, Sid could give the most to it.

"What were your plans for today?" Inquired the biggest in the round to his buddy, when they finally stood again in the parking lot.

"It doesn't matter now." Ellie mixed in again because they had another problem. Six animals were standing in front of the car.

"I go in the back with the little one." Explained the mammoth mother, because they had no baby seat for the small big cat.

"Ok, then Grandma and Grandpa go into the trunk." But Manfred repented at the same time, as he said it, because he already noticed a stick on his leg.

"It's all right! Then go sit down in the front. So Sid goes to the back." This one already took air for the next word, but with the look of his friend, he let it rather be unsaid.

* * *

 

A headache. This was the first thing the silver-gray tigress felt when she finally came to her senses. By the last time she was a bit batty, Gutt had one of his victory celebration with plenty of utensils that left you forgotten all evening. But she shouldn't recall such memories now, and maybe never again.

She had to blink to get used to the light conditions. In this place wherever she was, there wasn't much brightness. She could see normally enough in the dark, but no matter who dragged her from the street, they had injected her something. Shira felt quite dazed and her vision wasn't really clear.

Slowly, she tried how the rest of her body worked, but it doesn't helped her much, because she was also tied up. Someone must have a lot of fear for sabers. Otherwise she wouldn't be tied up like a package and also under influence of drugs. This alone, explained her, that they went direct after her. Was she recaptured by her past? No, she had to forget that. Gutt was dead, even if his corpse couldn't be found. And the rest of the gang escaped either or they were somewhere else in prison. If you took it exactly, she belonged there too.

Shira shook her head. She now has a better life with her soon husband and her son.

Panic arose in her, she opened her eyes as she recalled the fact that she doesn't walked alone before this misery. What happened to her child? If something happened to him, then the rules and laws in this city wouldn't matter to her anymore. She would wake up her killer instinct and bring the responsible animals on the line. But first she has to get out of here.

Pull yourself together, she admonished herself and tried to get off the ground. At least she wasn't only lying on the cold stone floor or something like that. Somebody was planning to hold her here longer, because there was a mattress under in the room.

As she finally managed to sit with her arms on her back, she wondered at the same time that she doesn't heard anything. No cars, other animals or other noises. Strange, since she actually lived in a busy city.

Moving more wasn't going easy either. Everything felt as numb as if she has been here forever. Unfortunately, she couldn't even say whether it was day or night. When she was torn from the street, the sun was still in the sky.

She just hoped her son was doing well, because she couldn't smell him. On the other paw, she should be glad that he wasn't in that cellar or wherever she was.

But while her nose was slowly getting better, she noticed not only that someone could air the place, because it smelled scruffy and also like mold. The moisture in the walls must had caused this. Was the roof maybe leaking here?

She shook this off, because she has to concentrate on more important things. For example, the other scent, which was fine in the air. Shira smelled it only lightly, but she wasn't mistaken. Blood. Very fresh. She quickly looked around, than she has a few scrapes, probably because her kidnapper pulled her unconscious body across the ground. But her smell was almost overwhelmed by another. It was definitely familiar to her. Just with this befogging stuff in her, it was damned difficult for a saber to do a good job. Thinking was so complicated for her and her limbs doesn't really want to wake up. Her eyes remained as the only help for her, as visibility finally got clearer. Normally such a situation wouldn't be a problem for her. In the past, it wasn't uncommon to get kidnapped or threaten because of her former boss.

Mammoth. At last the senses told her what animal was caught with her. Yes, it was definitely this animal, but she couldn't see it. There were only four walls around her, nothing more. So she could only smell the blood of one of those specimens. It made her a little afraid that the fragrance seemed familiar. Only who had to share this fate with her? Manny? No, his blood odor came too rarely in her nose. The animal had to be younger.

Out of the blue, a scene from the beach shot in Shira's head. A molehog was helping his best friend there. Then she breathed that smell once again in, but that only confirmed her guess.

"Peaches?" It came so weakly from her throat. She tried to collect spitting in her mouth to moisten it. Slowly she understood the importance of the matter here. Than she belonged to Diego and the mammoth girl to Ellie. So it was clear to her that they were abducted because of the election campaign. Of course, she learned from her husband that there were some problems. But she doesn't expected such things. So much for vegetarians would never harm other animals in that way. She knew long before that the diet had nothing to do with the character.

"Peaches!" Shira called again for the younger woman, but there was silence again, although she could put more strength into her voice this time. In contrast to her, the young mammoth maybe saw the attackers come and she defended herself. The blood, which was in the air, could be the result that the aggressors had to use more violence. But if it was only about the election, nobody would be so cold-blooded and left an animal wounded and probably unconscious back here.

Without power, she dropped back onto the mattress. Perhaps the numbness in her arms was more rapid, because she had to get rid of the fetters first. If she doesn't get out of here at once, she wanted to look at her fellow prisoner as early as possible. Even if she could get out of this healthy and cheerfully, it still would hurt Diego very much if something happened to the young mammoth. He saw the girl growing up, and so she was very attached to her.

Besides that, her free paws would also be more useful to defend herself, than she was sure that the kidnappers would return sooner or later. However, for now she has to manage to regain control of her senses. Maybe she saw something nearby that might help her. It annoyed Shira that everything took so long. When it came to certain things, she was never a patient animal. This place wasn't also exactly perfect to master this property. She tried to get a clear thought, but the blood odor made her slowly mad. She doesn't know exactly whether she was worried about the girl or whether a different instinct was coming. Disgusted by herself, she shook herself and sat up again. The thought of eating the real meat again made her sick. Thanks to these substitute products it was also going good and she could always eat enough. The doctors said that it was safe to feed this their son soon. When this food covers all nutrients of carnivorous without the need that a different animal must die, why then was there no more stuff in normal stores?

Shira sighed annoyed. She and the young mammoth were trapped in this filthy hole, but she hasn't anything better to do than to think about something banal. She could still find the hook in the diet when she got out of this. Perhaps such thoughts came to her mind on purpose, than in the past she also always distracted herself in this way when there was nothing nutritious to eat.

Gradually the feeling of numbness soon subsided. So she tried as best to get out of the shackles. But with these cable ties she just scratched off her fur and some skin. Annoyed, she realized now that she couldn't use her claws, because the hijackers took their time and even gave her a manicure. Strange, it reminded her when she was still living at Gutt's side. He always cut her claws when she took a step too far. Actually, she can now be glad that the monkey wasn't removing her natural weapons completely. But it all belonged to the past. These stories came to light only because of her present situation.

The silver-gray tigress breathed again in and out. Now, however, it should be possible for her to get up without falling to the ground again. It also worked out, but by standing she felt so sick that she just would like to throw up. But she tried to avoid this and looked around. Something had to help her. The room was special, than it has no door. Or at least it's not a normal one. Nor does she find any windows. If there were any, then boards were nailed over them. Now she saw a long wooden shelf. Either this building should be rebuilt sometime, but then one thought it differently and left it so simply degenerate. Doesn't matter which was the reasons for the legal owner, to care for it no longer, on the street there were always some who like to use something like that. In her case, unfortunately, no harmless homeless animals who need a roof over their heads were using it.  
Nevertheless, light penetrated through small openings. Though weak, but it was enough for the room not to sink into complete darkness. Unfortunately, the holes weren't big enough to recognize much outside of here.

It made no sense. She had already walked two more times around to search a door. But all she could see and feel was the walls. Even if someone put her in here and blocked it up with bricks, the wall should still smell of fresh cement or something similar. But her nose found no such thing.

The hijackers knew their job very well and worked very precisely, because all she could use as help was the mattress. Shira already pulled that thing back and forth, but also underneath was nothing.

"Peaches!" Her voice sounded a little stronger now and she doesn't care whether she drew the attention of someone else. She just has to know that the mammoth girl was all right. But she doesn't got an answer. There were some explanations for it. The room could have been soundproofed. Or the younger one was further away that she couldn't hear anyone. Shira doesn't want to think about why she smelled so much blood. This sensory organ for smelling told her that this animal was nearby. And so she came to the last two options. Peaches can be unconscious or even be dead.

"No." She said to herself, so that she believed it more. She tried to persuade herself that no one had to leave his life by a simple abduction. In doing so, she has to suppress to remember the number of innocent killings by Captain Gutt's abduction plans.

It's always said, that the past comes back to everyone once again. But she doesn't have a head for her past life at the moment, and that she couldn't find a way out here, made her slowly mad. There has to be a way out of this hole.

At last her ears heard a different sound than this silence and her own breathing. This time she wanted to scream for help but unfortunately her voice failed again. The stuffy room made her throat so dry that her own spit wasn't enough at the moment. Probably it wasn't the best idea to make herself noticeable, because it could also be the kidnappers. Someone, or more, came towards her. Unfortunately, she couldn't make a precise observation because of the walls. Even though it wasn't possible for her to defend herself, she got still in the fighting position as far as she could do it. Just because she was tied up, doesn't mean that she would not try to escape.

But she doesn't need to exert herself, than now she saw where the way out was. The path led up, because there was just a hatch opened. The thing had to be heavy, because the crack that arose as a result of opening the passage completely echoed loudly in the room above her. Her visitor brought a flashlight with here and then blinded her. Because the light was so bright, she turned away and couldn't see first who was up there.

"Well, have we slept enough, Princess?" Shira doesn't have to look up again, that voice told her enough. Still, she wondered how this was possible. Perhaps the stuff in her body caused her to imagine things. Yet, she looked up again.

"Have we forgotten how to speak? Or has this little bit of nothing given you too much of the drug?" No, that wasn't a illusion. Raz, a former member of her old crew, stood incarnate at the opening and looked down at her.

"What do you have to do with that matter?" Brought the silver-gray tigress out then.

"After you made sure we don't have a decent boss anymore, we had to be content with smaller jobs like this one."

"We?" She rasped out, disbelieving, because if more of her old gang have found here, then this wasn't a simple abduction. The concern for her son was growing again, but so far she doesn't got any signs that he could be nearby. This might mean that he maybe wasn't in here. For this reason she shouldn't inquire about him without any knowledge.

"Of course we. Have patience a little, my pretty one. Soon we'll be holding a nice class meeting." She'd like to jump in the kangaroo's face for this arrogant tone.

"Nice, that you also want to invite me. If it's just about me, let the girl go." Now she could smell exactly that Peaches lay hurt somewhere up there.

"Oh, the mammoth. We had to hire a couple of helpers because we don't had the time to bring her ourselves. Gupta has hired pure bunglers, than they haven't left the goods untouched."

"She could die. Bring her to a doctor." But Raz just laughed.

"It's strange how much you've gotten into this happy-ending story. But you've always been too soft. It was also the reason why you were rejected by your family. Born as a saber tooth, yet you have never really used this existence. You're a shame for your species. I never understood why Gutt chose you. In the end it was even his ruin that he wanted to have a cat in the group. But enough chatting, I have to take care of the other prisoner." She threw down a small carton.

"Here. We don't want you to starve. For a while you still have to stay alive." The hatch popped down again and got even locked this time. Probably it was forgotten earlier, because she heard Raz say something annoyed before she moved away from the thing over her.

It seemed to Shira a bit like a nightmare. Of course she never knew with certainty where the rest of Gutt's gang was, after their last meeting. She also avoided to do a precise examination, because she finally found her life beautiful as it was. Pocking around useless in the past in order to find these bad bunch and thereby lose her present existence, she couldn't just risk that. It went really well for the first time in her life and she doesn't have to worry about anything. She owned a job, friends, and a man. They all learned to accept her without big questions. Not everyone got that lucky. And all this should be taken back now, just because old acquaintances reappeared and thought they could take their toll for past or something like that.

Shira doesn't really understand it. Didn't the other members of the old crew see that they were better off without Gutt? In any case, she was doing so much better and shouldn't let her life destroy so easily. If they actually want to put that game on again and blood should flow, she also will not keep her claws clean. Even if there were now a few years between them, she could say with certainty that neither Raz nor any of the others changed very much in time. They all had the same bad character and most likely also the sneaky tricks.

Actually, she stood away all the years from any bad influence on purpose. She wasn't only doing so to let her friends believe that there could be something good inside her. That also was done because she doesn't wanted to go down again. Sometimes these thing happen so easily. Now if that road can't be avoided to protect her family and friends, then she would go there.

This turning back and forth with her paws behind the back, felt for the saber-tooth like an eternity. But now she managed to slip all cable ties down to her forearm. She could already imagine that Flynn took over this work. It also seemed to be luck in the misfortune that no one else looked on it again. Or they just didn't have the time. She doesn't care what was the reason as she freed her paws from all plastic stuff. She cut herself even deeper at some places on her arms, but that wasn't important now. She tore the right sleeve from her top, because the one side of her arm blew a little heavily. She took care of the cuttings quickly before she took care of her legs. The teeth of her species should be razor sharp. Now this things can show that they can cut everything. And she already freed her remaining limbs. The plastic tasted a little after frying fat. What further confirmed her that a certain sea elephant was taking care of the plastic chains.

However this irrelevancy was unimportant, for now she was free to move and her body slowly came back into motion. Now she could finally get out of here. Of course, she doesn't forget the carton of Raz. You never got anything good from her, and because she had nothing but the mattress, she left her paws from that thing for now.


	14. Waiting Is Terrible

"Now come on!" An annoyed skunk had to drag someone through half of the town. She doesn't understand how Crash could be so stubborn. He had to visit his brother only once and maybe ask if everything was all right. Was that so bad with siblings? Admittedly, she doesn't know much about it because she grew up as a single child. Not that she ever wanted a brother or a sister. At least she never spoke to her mother about it. But she thought it wouldn't be so hard to deal with someone of the same age. After all, she once read that twins sometimes had the same idea in their minds without anyone talking about that. With her luck, this was only the case for these two opossums when it came to stupidity. She also doesn't care what other problems the man had at her side and that they got strange looks from animals around at this walk.

"For your age, you are quite insolently. Don't you know that's out of place to just grab men by their middle?" Said the possum with a slight stupid grin to distract from his situation. Ruby just rolled her eyes, than she was already used to it. Probably the other thought it would embarrass her or something. The school alone inured her too much. Sometimes she wondered how this time was when the opossums went there, but now they don't have to discuss it.

"Be glad I didn't get this spot with my claws." With this she showed her pretty but also sharp things, before she pulled the older one by the arm, because she could already see the hospital.

"Come on, now! I also promise to bite any doctor who comes close to you, when this is the problem." Her companion laughed a little.

"As if that's good with you. You're vaccinated against rabies." She blinked, but it was better not to ask now. Eddie claimed he would soon be released from the hospital again. But her mother told her it would still take a while. So much to they only want to find out what he was allergic to and then he was allowed to go again. How many tests can there already exist that he had to stay here for so long?

The idea that it could really be something serious made her really done. It wasn't just that she was concerned about the striped idiot, but it couldn't be any easier for his family too.

"Who's afraid of the animals in white now?" He put a paw around her shoulder, but an elderly animal with a certain genetic defect came past them at the entrance and coughed slightly. Of course, Crash got an angry glance for what was being said.

"I meant the doctors and no albinos." The skunk laughed a little.

"You also have a paw for such things. But forget that. We're here for something else."

"I agree. When I last visited such a place, the nurses weren't so sexy." The skunk stretched out her tongue, as if she were about to throw up and she wriggled out of the others arm. Great, she once again got the proof that the brothers more or less really thought the same.

"Already forgotten, you wanted to keep away from the staff." The woman at the front desk looked questioningly at her, but she just shook her head.

"I know where we have to go." And she simply dragged Crash along with her paw. This really must not chat t with every younger nurse.

Of course the man by her side found it less amusing. Normal parents had the privilege of being able to deport the unintended and annoying children. Unfortunately he couldn't do this with Ruby so easily. He saw that she was more than old enough to have a boyfriend or a whole regiment of fellows. But no, the cheeky something likes to preoccupy herself with his brother. And sometimes also she was getting on the nerves of the molehog. As he always heard from Peaches. Now and then he wondered if his niece was a little jealous. On the other paw, he wasn't really sure of it. Than he could never judge such things well. Besides, he knew how clingy skunks could be.

Suddenly an imaginary light bulb went over him. After all, their prickly friend could be the solution to their problems. Lorene also mentioned something similar that her daughter has perhaps a crush on Louis. Would at least explain this pushiness. Probably the girl did the same thing twice. One paw the molehog and on the other his brother. He assumed that it was a matter who gave in first and Ruby would then completely get involved with this guy. Suddenly, in his head past scenes made so much sense. The young skunk had more brain than he first thought. So it could only be a matter of time before the young lady decides here. If he looked at it, Louis and Ruby would fit perfectly together. Or had she planned to ride double-track from the beginning? It wouldn't really surprise him. But the story should rather end with the fact that this skunk appeared less frequently at their home.

"In which room is he?" With that he tore himself loose and wanted to run ahead, because his plan had to be told before something came between it and he no longer had any interest in this.

"You almost stand in front of it. Just two doors further." Ruby doesn't know where the opossum suddenly picked up this cheerful energy, but she still found it better as to drag him all the way the whole time. Getting Crash out of the shop was already a pain for her. Her mother could have helped her, but she just said that they shouldn't interfere. That was hard for her when she saw Eddie so depressed in a hospital bed. Whether there was a beautiful nurse beside or not, she couldn't just ignore it. She also wanted to chat with someone about what happened on Friday evening. Usually the possum brothers liked to laugh with her like this. Well, Louis doesn't found it with the movie so funny. But she doesn't think so much about threat at this place. The prickly one simply doesn't have the character of being mean. What he mentioned there, he did only because she made him angry. At least she hoped that.

When Crash finally opened the door, they found no third striped animal.

"Are you sure this is the right room? I mean the beds here don't look very used." Without really wanting, the girl got slightly panicky. According to her mother's statement, Eddie was still doing well yesterday. This should be only a week at the hospital.

Why wasn't he here? Have they moved him because of some difficulties? Or worse, he could already..

"Hey, now calm down again! Probably it's only the wrong room." For somehow the present opossum doesn't like to see his companion so anxious. If he once ignored the scene in this club, she could still be seen as a child in need of protection.

Before Crash could put his arm around the skunk again, both heard a water noise nearby, which was very much like a toilet flush. Shortly thereafter a door creaked.

"I'm so glad I don't have to hear the sound anymore. They should really.. " But the speaker broke off as he walked around the corner and noticed that he was no longer alone in the room.

"You idiot!" Ruby punched the older man vigorously into the side, for a moment she was seriously worried that her favorite possum got worse. And here the guy just disappeared too long in the bathroom.

"Ouch! For what was that? Do you want me to stay longer here.." Again, Eddie came with his sentence to no end, than the girl embraced him suddenly. Frightened, he lifted up his paws and looked helplessly at his brother. This only shrugged his shoulders, but then grinned.

"Grouphugs." Added Crash and threw himself at his brother. The other man replied this fleetingly, which he would, of course, later push back to the drugs and the surroundings here. Then Eddie pushed the others away with a jerk.

"At such moments, you want to have a contagious disease." He gave an annoyed look to it.

"Why didn't you say you could get out again today?" Ruby said admonished. Otherwise she would have started her day earlier.

"I also wanted to have my peace." He replied a little brusquely and pushed past the two to grab his bag. It was already standing next to the wardrobe. The young woman wondered why she hasn't noticed it before. Hospitals probably made her too nervous.

"We don't have to stay here too long. Although I had prepared a speech to say goodbye to you." Crash joked, walking first out of the door.

"Very funny. Have you also already thought about rearranging my room?"

"So if I'm honest..."

"Woe you touched my things!" The girl in the middle had to laugh and the brothers looked at her irritated.

"What?" The question came almost from both at the same time.

"Nothing." So she pushed the possums, after a short farewell with the doctors, finally out of the building. After all, they don't have to stay here longer than necessary.

"So if we had needed longer for the way here, then we would also have come for nothing?" She doesn't really understood why Crash had to nag on further, but she couldn't say a word to it.

"I wrote you a message that I can probably get out today. If you don't look at your phone."

"Oh, yes. I think now it's safe to turn that thing on without receiving thousand homesick calls from you. I'm sure.." The possum wanted to annoy his brother even further, but then he saw the missed calls and messages on his cell phone. Most of them were not from Eddie, but from their sister.

"Let me guess. There's more work for us." But Eddie got simply the display of the phone in the face without a word. Ruby, standing next to him, was also reading the lines.

"It sounds serious. We should go to her and.. "

"We're going to her. You can go home now. Don't you have to do housework or something?" Eddie simply left her standing and called a taxi. Than first, he doesn't want to come from a hospital and play the babysitter all the time. Second, the doctors warned him that a occasional weakness could occur and he found, the skunk doesn't necessarily have to be there when it happens. Crash looked at her briefly, but then shrugged his shoulders unconsciously before he followed his brother to the car. He doesn't really want to go all the way back alone.

The girl who was left behind clenched the paws a little furiously. She planned the day to visit this idiotic opossum in the hospital and maybe talk to him about these things that were buzzing in her head. But no, the fine gentleman planned better stuff without her.

She admitted she persuaded herself too much there, because the news from Ellie looked like an emergency. There was nothing exact in it, but apparently only the brothers should come by. Since she wasn't a family member, she was simply left standing here.

So she went slowly home again. Though she was already thinking of visiting Louis, but he was likely also convened for this family meeting. Ellie always treated the prickly one as the son she never owned. Or the son-in-law, that mammoth would like to have. But those were only theories of her and Peaches mother wanted to be only nice, because the family from the molehog lived farther away. Now that she was thinking about it, she found it strange that she never saw his parents in all these years. On the other paw, she wondered why she was thinking about it at all.

So Ruby decided to take her way home, because probably the prickly guy was still angry anyway because of the cinema evening.

* * *

 

The very same decided to visit Peaches on Sunday evening. He thought about it for a while. In addition, she doesn't even reply to his messages all weekend.

At first he thought she had other things to do. But it was very rare with her that she doesn't write him back for one or even two days. When her cell phone was broken once, she even called him to say that. Of course, she wasn't obligated to report to him, there was surely something more important. But if she did, she does it by herself. But the more thoughtful he became when silence reigned between them. No matter which kind.

Here he lived at least in the same area and could see her because an inner feeling urged him to. It was finally allowed for friends to do something like that. Since he was never very popular at school, Peaches remained his only real friend. That's why he sometimes doesn't really know how to act around her. Of course, he also knew other animals and could occasionally meet with them. He was even aware that this could perhaps be a way to get rid of this secret feelings for his best friend. At the same time, he doesn't want to leave her on the side too much, because in things like love he would likely remain a hopeless idiot forever. However, until now he was able to live with that.

At least if he doesn't travel around. Than the resulting breaks between their messages and telephone calls he found the worst. It went on weeks to months where he doesn't know exactly whether Peaches really was all right or she sometimes said it only because she doesn't want to burden him. Of course, he still had the work, but this rarely occupied him long enough to keep his thoughts away from her.

There were days when he just wanted to fly back home to see his best friend. Strange, but if he knew that everything was all right with her, he also could sleep much better. And he thought it had nothing to do with his love for her. The mammoth meant a lot to him, and he doesn't care what his own affinity to the matter said. With Peaches and her family, he felt more like home than with his own. He would never say that he had a bad childhood, but who has many siblings came rarely in the first place. The family of his friend could be a strange group in the get to know process, but he was always noticed there, even if the house was sometimes just as full.

But Louis should now shake that off. He would simply look at Peaches when she was just alone and maybe talk a little about his ex-girlfriend. Normally, the mammoth would never hesitate from saying anything if she thought it was right. However, on Friday it seemed to him as if it was unpleasant for his friend to continue talking about Shenaia. Actually, the molehoggirl was quite reasonable. Unfortunately, sometimes she just likes to chat to much about everything and everyone. Louis doesn't even want to imagine what stories the mammoth had to hear about him. Because that would be the only explanation for the behavior of her.

It was a little puzzling to him that Peaches acted normal, as they went to the hospital. So either she really doesn't remember the thing until the evening or she just pretended to be okay. Or worse, his ex and his secret love exchanged numbers and talked a little about him yesterday. When his best friend heard bed stories about him, he also could bury himself at the next expedition. Now he became paranoid and when he continued to pursue such thoughts, he could just go again, because it confused him too much to make a normal conversation.

No matter what the reason was that she ignored him, it could also have nothing to do with him. Because even if he liked to be so important to the mammoth, as vice versa, in reality her head wasn't just thinking about him. Even though she has been more interested in his work lately. Somehow he thought she was interested for archeology. Or at least what he did in his job.

All the more oddly he found this attitude to him. Even if Shenaia gave out some private things, the mammoth would more laugh with him about it as this here. There were rarely topics that made Peaches restrained. Except perhaps the one thing, which he only designated as an alcoholic accident. He tried to act cool himself, but he couldn't easily forget the kiss. Bad enough that his mind had to let him dream of it in different ways. As if it had nothing else to offer.

Now they both probably just need a talk in peace, without a skunk in the room. Just them two alone. Yes, they have planned to do something on the weekend, but rarely were they just two. Not that he had anything against their friends, but before them he could never talk about things that Peaches and him really occupied.

Once again the male mammoth came to his mind. What if Nathan called again after the separation? This now realized he was making a stupid mistake. Even when that was bothering her, she doesn't have to tell him, because it wasn't his business. Still, Louis believed she could talk to him about anything. Maybe she thought he couldn't help her anyway. Or it was just him to get worked up over nothing and she had only a little stress at work.

Again he shook his head to get rid of all the thoughts. By the way, he stepped faster. In this way, he thoughtlessly threw himself into things, which in the end probably weren't there at all. Surely the week was just not good to her and so she just wanted to rest a little at the weekend. By the way she forgot the mobile phone. Or it even slipped out of her pocket and it was all the time in her car. It could also be that the mammoth girls visited her and therefore Peaches came to nothing else. Wouldn't be the first time.

So he finally rang at her door, with the thought that he could go right back. Or much more had to. Than he once visited Katie, when she moved into a flat share. Of course not at the official inauguration party, but a few days later because of his job. So he burst into a female gathering, where everyone had already drunk a little too much champagne. It ended with the fact that he got too much information, which he doesn't want to hear at all and they put make-up on him. Peaches wasn't there, but she laughed the next day. She only had to come to him, because he doesn't get the colorful stuff from his fur. He doesn't have such things as water and other utensils to remove makeup. Yes, his best friend found this funny, but at the same time she made sure that none of the other girls kept a photo of the event or put it on the web. He wasn't thinking of that at the time, but was inwardly grateful when Meghan accidentally mentioned it later.

However, Louis was quickly back in the here and now, than he had not heard anything at the second press of the bell. For a moment he waited, but then shrugged his shoulders to turn away from the door. Certainly she visited her parents or someone else. The mammoth doesn't have to spend the whole weekend at home. Even if she was always there at that time, because usually Peaches had to leave early on Monday morning.

A glance at his cell phone told him that the evening was still quite young, despite the night's arrival. The prickly one thought for a little while whether he should wait here. On the other paw, it maybe seemed strange for the neighbors if he would hang around here for too long. So he slowly went back downstairs. Even if he took his time, no one came past him. Most of the inhabitants in the area either made themselves comfortable at home or they were also absent.

Only he doesn't really know what to do with the evening. For archeology, he also finished everything. Even if he wanted to continue working, he needed a few documents from his job. Of course, he was allowed to show up there at any time, but he doesn't want to bother the few animals that were there on Sunday.

At the bottom, he noticed that his friend's car was standing in the parking lot. So he thought at first glance because of the bright color and the usual parking lot, than without glasses he couldn't see anything exactly. Outlines were sharper at night but unfortunately not at a distance of about thirty meters.

More from boredom he went to the car and asked himself, if a Stalker does the same thing. He should just leave. Peaches just doesn't have time for him once and that was all. They both saw each other on Friday and when it's going well, the next week again. There was nothing in the bush, he only was thinking too much.

He wanted to disappear with a sigh, but then something caught his eye. He bent to look even better under the car. Probably he just imagined something. Strangely enough, he was only confirmed that his head wasn't playing tricks to him, because his friend's handbag was under the vehicle. Gradually it became more than peculiar and so he pulled out the thing. Briefcase, mobile phone, car keys and everything else a woman needs was still there. Once again he looked around, because now the bad feeling that something wasn't quite right came more up. But there was peace in the parking lot as always. You can't expect anything else from a Sunday evening.

The bag also gave no further clues, except some dirty spots. At one end were tiny brown spots. It could also have been wiped from the ground with or simply be a pattern. He held his nose to it, but it smelled of car exhaust and road in general. Breathing deeply in and out, to keep himself calm, he ran around the car to the driver's side. If the bag had really just fallen down, then it should have been lying here and not under the vehicle close to a car tire.

The mammoth always parked near the lantern. He assumed that it seemed more safe for her. Of course, she never mentioned it. Exactly to this lamp he was running straight. It was only two steps away. Well for a mammoth. By the way, he was paying close attention to his surroundings, so as not to overlook any clues.

When the molehog was standing directly under the street lantern, there seemed to be more light on him. It wasn't raining on the weekend, and no one else came by. At least nobody looked at this red-brown strip, which graced the ground here. Even if he doesn't really want to do this, he knelt down and smelled it. His nose wasn't doing a good job like the ones of well-known predators, but unfortunately he could still say that this was blood from Peaches. Slightly panicked, he inspected the patches on the bag again. Under the lantern, the splashes looked more red-brown.

Fear grew quicker in his chest. He had to shake it off, because before he lost his head, he had to let someone know of all this. He took his cell phone quickly so he called Peache's parents. He really doesn't want to alarm them, but they should look at this at least once. For police, it certainly seemed too early, because he doesn't know whether the mammoth had disappeared for more than forty-eight hours. He wanted to look for her himself, but on the other paw he doesn't even know where to start.

Later it doesn't really soothed him that one of the saber-toothed tigers was also missing. Because if the two had not been able to live safely here, who was allowed to do that? He was, of course, aware that there were probably more carnivores in the underground, but so far, no conspicuous news was heard.

"You knew she doesn't feel well and yet you let her go home alone?" After Peache's father looked at everything, he was simply taken away, surely to give out much details as possible.

"Stop yelling at him, Manny! You should still know that a baby is sleeping next door. Besides, how he should know right away that our daughter gets abducted? Nobody thinks of the worst. Except maybe you." Ellie was worried too, but it wasn't fair to blame the molehog for all this. On the contrary, they should be glad that he wanted to visit Peaches at all today and noticed the matter so quickly.

"But maybe it's true. Finally, she doesn't answered my messages all weekend. I should have looked for her earlier, then.." The mammoth mother briefly stroked over his head and interrupted his sentence.

"It's really not your fault. We just have to keep a cool head and wait until the police calls us back." 'Or someone else.' But for the time being, she kept that to herself, than she could see that all of them were thinking about it. Just to get other things in her head, she stood up from the kitchen table and looked for the little saber-tooth. It was luck that they gave the parents a travel cot as a present, because they could use it faster, than for the time being believed. Even if she spoke to Diego, she also knew that they couldn't stop him from searching for himself. Ellie could only hope that the tiger did nothing stupid. Her husband promised to look for him as soon as the matter lasted too long, but there they weren't knowing that her daughter was abducted too.

"Look at that disgusting thing." Grossed out, Crash took his paws up.

"It's drooling so nasty. How can it sleep like this? Wow, now it's running out of the mouth and the nose." Eddie held out his tongue as if he were about to puke.

"Really guys? Why don't you told me the little boy is awake? Instead, you watching Sid in his sleep." The mammoth mother shook her head smiling and tickled the sloth at the foot, because that was sleeping upside down on their sofa. His preoccupation with his grandmother and the older hare made him very tired. It was also getting late.

"I'm not sleeping." So Sid fell down from the piece of furniture and the possums laughed. Ellie gave the still sleepy animal a handkerchief, when she had the little saber tooth on the other arm. This also doesn't quite know what to do now. Probably because the situation was so new to him. She hoped he could go back to his mother as soon as possible.

"If you have recovered, please set the table in the kitchen. We should all have something to eat." Especially because her husband still had almost nothing eaten all day. Just the breakfast.

"I just got off from the.."

"Eddie, don't try this on me! I have talked with your doctor again to inform me exactly. Such work as putting stuff on a table, wouldn't really kill you." Crash already took air, for the announcement, why his brother had nothing to do. But now he grinned and pushed the other into the kitchen.

"You have to work your way into normal everyday life again."

But dinner wasn't as simple like in the mammoth's imagination. The little saber tooth ate his meal, of course, with pleasure. At that age he doesn't understand what it meant to worry. But it can only be a matter of time until the boy misses Shira too. She knew all the babies are different, but there is a strong bond between mother and child. This meant if it wasn't a case of a single-parenting father.

After she was done with the little one and he dozed a little on her arm, her gaze fell back on the molehog. This one wasn't even touching his food. Certainly not because he doesn't have hunger, but because he always started to think about what could be and what not. They probably did it all in their own way. Her brothers and Sid by fooling around. Manny also starred more wordlessly on the table but this one ate now and then something. Probably also because he doesn't want to start any discussion with her later. But the prickly one looked just lost and so she nudged her husband with the free elbow. A little confused, he looked at her and she gestured silently across the table to Louis. The other mammoth hesitated, because after all this time it still doesn't know how to deal with the prickly one. She couldn't really understand the behavior of her husband. The molehog had a nice character. Then why did her idiot made it ever so hard to chat with him? But it was important to support each other at such times, no matter how bitter the situation could be.

"If you want, you can sleep here." 'To be there if there are new news.' At least that was what Ellie thought, but she couldn't just speak the sentence to the end. So talking around it was ok somehow, but she couldn't really make a loud statement that her little girl got abducted.

"No, no. It's not necessary. I have to go back to work tomorrow." Then the molehog finally ate the salad that lay on his plate. Normally it was one of his favorite foods here and he knew that Peaches mother made it extra for him to cheer him up a little.

Earlier when this looked after the saber-toothed baby, even the male mammoth apologized for his behavior. No matter how often it happened, it always surprised him. In any other situation he would be pleased that the older man wasn't treating him like air.

But now he doesn't care. Although Louis explained that he could understand the behavior of the nigger one, he doesn't speak much more. On the place, where the car of his friend was, he chattered everything out what he knew. The mammoth father was certainly surprised that he could talk so much at all. But he wanted only one thing that the police got as much information as possible to find the disappeared ones quickly.

"Come on. I'll drive you home." The mammoth father said after eating as he grabbed his jacket. At first he wanted to protest again, but the other doesn't allow it. Probably Peache's father also worried about him, but he doesn't want to or couldn't show it like the woman at his side. So he just nodded and said goodbye to everyone before he went outside to the car where the male mammoth was already waiting. Normally he would avoid moments where was alone with this animal. However, now everything seemed to be negligible, except the concern for his best friend.

* * *

 

"Typical woman! It is totally uninjured. So why are you making such a theater about it?" A nimble rabbit, with whom one always had the feeling that he was always linked with a electrical outlet, examined the unconscious mammoth. For the first words, Raz gave the little one a headknock and an evil look.

"You have no idea of such stuff!" Squint was pushed backwards. He doesn't want to accept it, but the kangaroo grabbed his beloved dagger so quickly and pointed it to him that he had no other way but to stay silent. Then the taller animal looked to the unconscious and threw the weapon carelessly against the wall. There the thing was stuck on a wooden beam. Raz grinned as she saw from the corner of her eye that the little one couldn't jump to the blade. But she quickly took care of her task with a serious face.

"Bring her to the hospital." Shira doesn't care that she told the same thing for hours, but now that she was in the same room as Peaches, the smell of blood gradually made her feel nauseous. Because the stuff slowly made her think of other things. Terrible things.

"Maybe we should really.." Flynn now mixed in too, because he just came back from pizza restaurant around the corner.

"Be quiet! Did you have to go to the uncle doctor when you cut yourself into the fin?"

"No. But.."

"She also cut herself. Just on the leg. I'm reluctant to say this, but I'm glad our zappy bunny had made the bungler disappear. Did the idiots pulled the mammoth over a nail field or what? I hate it when wanna-be gangster destroy our good reputation!" Raz nagged a little further, while the saber-toothed woman tried to sit up, or look around at least. Now she was in the room that was above her prison. There were windows, though they weren't large or clean, it was enough to let in daylight.

Gupta mentioned earlier, before he went out to throw up, because he can't stand the view and the smell of blood for too long, that Flynn was buying something to eat nearby. Just like in the past. If you don't see the sea-elephant, he was always getting a little something to satisfy his hunger. Unfortunately, she doesn't recognize the sign on the pizza carton, otherwise she might have figured out where she was. Finally she knew her city by heart. But she ordered too little food at home, so she couldn't tell by the color of the cardboard alone to which business it belonged.

"Perhaps I should have fetched more. I go again and get a pizza for everyone. Shira, do you want one with anchovies?" Flynn got a kick from the hare in the side. But he got thrown back again by the belly.

"You're not supposed to tickle me." Laughed the big one briefly.

"And you should know that prisoners don't get food! At least not like that. How stupid are you, that.."

"Enough now! Don't get on my nerves." The kangaroo was done with the doctor work of the unconscious prisoner. Shira knew that she was doing just so much to keep the girl alive. She would like to show that she had not lost her fighting skills in all these years. But since she was again tied up and this time much better, she could just stare angrily at the other one.

"Tell Gupta that it doesn't look so bad anymore and that he should get the gift out of the car." Raz removed the dagger from the wooden beam and threw it to Squint. He even gave his weapon a kiss, when he thought that no one would notice it. The two prisoners and the marsupial was left behind. Last one jumped down through the hole to get the box, which the tigress doesn't touched. The woman above in the waking state wanted to somehow roll to the opening to try to close this. Maybe she would get a little time. But it was thought of, because she only now saw that she was chained to a pipe.

"Shh .." Shira turned her head to the mammoth and in fact this gradually came to her senses. It certainly wanted to pronounce her name and blinked at her now, as if it had no idea what was going on here. Like how when the girl was unconscious all the time. As quiet as possible, because she doesn't want to attract the attention of her guard, she crawled over to the lying one there. At least as far as the chain allowed.

"Are you okay?" She whispered, and her opposite looked now with more watchful eyes. Probably Peaches slowly like her, remembered her abduction.

"I guess so. What do they want from us?" The girl's voice sounded just as scratchy as hers. Apparently she got the same stuff, only in a higher dose.

"I don't know exactly." Actually it was a lie, because the tigress knew that her former 'friends' would like to use revenge. Only in what form wasn't quite clear. The case was disguised as an abduction because of the election campaign.

"My mother.. Uncle Diego..?" Apparently, the mammoth could also get these facts together and she nodded only to the not clearly asked question. Shira wondered if the animals that hired her old crew for this crime, even realized they had burrowed their own grave. No matter who was a part in this matter, she has to prevent a escalation.

"Listen to me.."

"We're five minutes out there and you leave them alone here!" Spuint jumped between the tiger and the mammoth. He forced them to slide away with his weapon.

"What could they have done, huh? Talking to us dead?" The hare said something else, but a evil look from the kangaroo left him quickly silenced.

"Since you were a very polite guest who doesn't touched my box, you now get a little something." Raz let out a nasty grin and stretched her paw to the badger. He looked everywhere except the prisoners.

"Gupta!" Then he hurriedly reached for the suitcase which he brought in.

"Do you really think it's a good idea?" Because the striped found it more than dangerous use untested drugs for wars now on more or less innocent animals.

"Don't be so frightened and give the stuff to me!" With that, the syringe, which he held uncertainly in his paws, was torn off.

"We shouldn't at least take them down." Flynn also took a little distance and stood only in the doorway.

"You're all such chickens! That still will take a while until it works." These sentences from the kangaroo made Squint go into rage mode. Because he was scared of nothing. So hastily he jumped up, grabbed the needle and hopped to the prisoners.

"Let me do it!"

"Wait, you stupid bunny!" But the warning from Raz came too late, than the little one simply rammed the thing into the tiger's fur. At least he thought that.

"How hard could it be.." But also he, with the loosely moth, suddenly stopped talking big. Because he noticed that he gave the drugs a prisoner, but he doesn't hit the saber-tooth with it. The previously still weak-looking mammoth, moved more swiftly than thought to Shira and held her arm protectively over this. A little shocked the rabbit took his distance, but the big cat quickly pulled out the still sticking needle.

"Peaches... Are you ok?" She doesn't quite understand why the already injured girl was doing this for her now.

"Somehow a headaches comes up." The prisoners were briefly distracted by a shouting.

"Hey, let me out!" Squint knocked at the door a bit desperately, as the rest of the gang was already outside. Now he really was afraid, because the others don't know that he was the only one who knew the effect of this stuff.

Emotions and rational thinking gets eliminated. Just the whole character, what identified a animal before, simply disappears. There would only remain an angry and also very murderous something that could destroy everything that was close by. These drugs don't make any difference between plant eater and carnivore. Every living specimen carried badness in itself and with such a treatment, it all comes to light.

"Stop whining!" With this the marsupial left her little colleague out again before she closed the iron door.

"Because you made the mistake, you will still be staying here and watch what happens!" Squint nodded only at this command. Because he was glad that he got at least a advance, should the signs are coming that this mammoth is going to snap in there.


	15. Of Searching And Discovering

He just did not know what to do. And Diego really rarely came to such points in his life. After all, he was so educated that a carnivore like him, must always find a way. But for a long time, he had not been one of these beasts of prey any more than his father thought, his life wasn't just about food and hunting. Maybe saber-toothed tigers acted before the eyes of others a bit more civilized with each other today, but in the end came they're the same. Everyone wanted the best place and the best food. Nothing would ever change. Diego not only thought of his former 'friends'. If he could call them that way. That had been decades ago. No, he doesn't just want to hear things but see them. So he crept from time to time out of the city to get news about his race.

Was he supposed to do this now? Everywhere he inquired about his wife and his niece. It wasn't bad enough that these criminals weren't taking consideration of his child, but that they abduct innocents and then don't leave any notes, made him so nervous. Perhaps Shira was involved in the matter because she was a carnivore. But to pull the young mammoth into this, he simply doesn't found fair. It possibly couldn't be about the election campaign anymore, because after all more than two weeks had passed without anyone coming into contact with them.

Although Ellie stopped her new work, the election campaign became very bizarre. No one heard of the serious opponents, nor of the little fishes, who don't have much idea of these things. The only thing that came from the media was that the mayor announced that the election had to be postponed because of a complication in the city. No exact information was ever made and he wondered how long the animals that lived in this town would take this. Friends of the present mayor liked this matter. There were certainly also many who had no interest in the election from the beginning. Nevertheless, an overpopulation became slow impatient and not only those who wanted to vote for a mammoth were counted.

Also he never would have expected, that strangers liked to support him in his search for Shira and Peaches. Of course they would have offered help with the mammoth, but his wife was still a carnivore. Maybe others just wanted to know where she was because of this. The reason doesn't really matter to him, than searching the city alone would take months. Yes, he had his friends with him, but they couldn't all use a good nose like him. At least he told himself that when a day passed and they haven't found anything again.  
At least they were able to get video recording from the time of the disappearance of the saber-toothed tigress. The picture wasn't exactly the best because it wasn't the newest technology, but Diego was sure, he knows the criminals from somewhere. One could only see how Shira was dragged into a dark alley, but still he became a strange feeling by this video. There by Peaches area was unfortunately no camera nearby. Although he was a little glad for it. He doesn't want to know exactly how furious his buddy could get, when this saw how his daughter was abducted. He also wants to spare Ellie such pictures, because he knew that she was very worried, even if she showed the strong woman before others. Still, it was a little strange that no other witnesses appeared. Certainly the animals were also afraid to be dragged into dangerous things. Somehow he could understand it, and on the other paw he found it cowardly. Nevertheless, the female mammoth wasn't blaming anyone and even soothed the man beside her, who one might think that this would punch around every moment.

Sometimes the tiger wanted to have a strong character too. But he wasn't like that. He couldn't even look after his own son without a female help. Either because he couldn't concentrate on it, or because the little one was slowly also missing his mother.

For the time being he would stay with his friends anyway and he slept there on the couch. The new house seemed so large and quite abandoned for Diego without his wife. Funny that he was so accustomed to living with her that he really doesn't know how to be alone. Before he first saw Shira, he thought more about the fact that he stayed with his friends rather the lonely tiger. Yes he had occasional female accompaniment, but otherwise was going through his life alone. However, now he became a father and got his own little family. Nevertheless, it seemed as though he doesn't learned anything with all this and wasn't really getting along without his wife.

So he brought little things for himself and the baby from their home with here, that they were also missing nothing. At least almost nothing, because the most important thing was still gone. He also brought a blanket from Shira because of Ellie's idea. The mammoth said this might soothe the little one for a while. His son behaved so bravely at this age, than he began to weep only sometimes in the evening. Probably because he then remembered that Shira had always held him before he went to bed. At any rate, he thought this, he doesn't come home early to see it. A little he was ashamed again that he hardly knew the day's course of the other two tigers. He should know this when he was a family member.

Diego also doesn't imagine the father and son coming closer because the mother was abducted. Still, he slowly began to understand again how babies are ticking. Before, he knew only about small mammoths and the time had been a while ago.

"You see, you're doing it very well." Ellie gave him a compliment after bathing the little one and dressing for the night. The second saber doesn't give much more out, than he was already tired and so he cuddled up to Papa's shirt.

"If she's back, she'll be very glad you've got so much new knowledge." He sighed a little disappointed.

"I would have liked Shira to stand by and list what I'm doing wrong." The mammoth mother put a hand on his shoulder.

"You're not that bad either."

"I'd just take that like this. When I first heard something like this, Peaches was almost three years old." This came a little louder from the kitchen. Manny probably wanted to contribute a part to the conversation. The little cat moaned briefly, but when Diego stroked him over his head, he calmed down quickly again.

"With some children you can do what you want, they remain eternally a cry-baby." Added the female mammoth and got up from the couch to go to the kitchen, so that the man there gave a rest. The big saber-toothed cat smiled a little at this. He couldn't get mad at his buddy because this sometimes forgot the fact that in the house was baby again. It doesn't happened on purpose too, than his friend missed sleep because of the concern for his own child. Ellie and he were already talking about whether they should give him a sleeping pill so the big guy would rest for at least a few hours without jumping up. The big cat knew that it wasn't easy to sleep when you missed someone. But he tried to stay clear in his head and couldn't let the worries ruin him. After all, he had to do this not only for his son, but also for Shira.

It would be irresponsible to let himself down in her in her absence. No matter how his mammal buddy was still behaving, he would be the last one to blame him. Of course, as men, they weren't talking like women, but Sid and he knew that Manny had lost a family a long time ago. No details were ever mentioned, but that wasn't necessary in their friendship and all these years. The past should rest, the here and now was the most important to him.

When he looked down again, he noticed that his son had already fallen asleep. So he stood up cautiously and put the little boy in his bed, then quietly stepped out of the room and closed the door. Now he was standing in the hallway and there was still a step to the kitchen. When he heard his buddy talking through the door, he asked himself if there was still solutions to their problem.

* * *

 

"My legs starting to hurt." Crash understood that they had to do something since his niece and the saber-toothed tigress had disappeared. But was it really necessary to turn every stone three times? Of course, he was worried somehow, but running to his death helped no one.

"We're just three, no four hours on the road." Added Ruby, who remained near the possums during the search. On the one paw, because she was glad that she could also look a little after Eddie without mentioning a good reason. And because Louis became gradually creepy, the more time passed. She hoped that she would meet later on the prickly grouch. You can't stand it a minute more with him alone. She could say what she wants, he usually wasn't listening, but he wondered what else they should do to find the missing ones. Or worse, he got strange seizures, because he was painting scenes in his head, what could have already happened.

So she preferred to take the twins as a paranoid molehog. Her mother knew herself partly from the work how to handle such a thing and therefore this remained close to Louis.

"Please, deliver me from my suffering. Don't you see that I'm just tormenting myself?" Still, Crash couldn't stop the whining. Normally, his brother would have to take a part in it for long time, but the medication probably made him a bit uneasy.

"Just down the road and then we're going to have something to eat." Encouraged the skunk girl and wanted rather to look at the silent opossum, but suddenly she doesn't saw it anymore. Strange, than he was still running before her a minute ago. Well, they weren't the only three in the searching group.

Perhaps he was already supporting female helpers, she thought. She clenched the paws and pulled at least Crash forward, otherwise he would still be lying here.

"This is very strange." Suddenly the disappeared one jumped out to the street from the side alley and looked thoughtfully to the ground. Ruby noticed that in the front of his shirt, a few more buttons were open. Also, his fur looked a little messy. She looked again into the alley. But there was no one else. If she had seen a lady, the case would be clear. But she quickly noticed that Eddie avoided her eyes. But not for the reasons she had previously in mind.

"Would you like to sit down for a while?" Apparently, the opossum what left the hospital shortly before was exerting too much. Her mother mentioned something casually, but Ruby thought the other looked the way he always did. Now she was ashamed that she had previously thought of nothing but stupid things as to consider Eddie's health.

"Oh, I get it. We don't see the gentlemen for a moment and then he already can take a break? If it's like that, I'm going to open the sewer cover and see if we find someone down there. No one has ever looked so far." Crash said a little bit snotty, because his brother was already touched again with velvet paws. He was, of course, not jealous.

"That's a good idea. Just do it and have fun." Added the female skunk, without looking at the slowly annoyed opossum. This grumbled something to himself.

"It was a joke. Do you think I like to explain to Ellie later why you are stinking? Come on you two, we're going to eat something now." Then Ruby announced a little louder that they would end for today. Because not every animal that helped them could also see in the dark. Sure, some already had flashlights and in some places already lit the street lanterns, but everyone would need a break sometime. So their group agreed to meet again tomorrow morning. Of course it sounded in her ears like giving up, but her powers are also by a end at some point and they weren't looking for them only since today.

So she trotted with the twins in this nearby snack bar. One brother quickly disappeared after explaining what she wanted. The other striped animal sat down with her at a free table. Eddie looked worse in this light than outside. However, Ruby doesn't want to start again that he should take better care of his health. She was still annoyed by the fact that she couldn't get the exact details of why he was in hospital, but she also couldn't force the opossum to tell her.

Probably it was the worry because of the kidnapping, that he looked so unhealthy again. Yes, she was also worried about the two women, though she knew they could defend themselves. What if her mother was right with her guess from the start and it never went about this campaign. In the news came sometimes bad things, which still happen outside of their city.

The skunk quickly shook her head, because first of all, Crash came to them with the food, and secondly, she just noticed that Eddie was watching her silently all the time. Actually, he always stretched out the tongue to her or made other jokes when she looked at him for too long. However, today he smiled at her slightly, but cheerfully. The brother with the food disturbed the whole thing by holding a tray in front of her nose. She was glad about it, because her cheeks became warm and she doesn't know whether someone could see her embarrassment. So she accepted the food silently.

A renewed shake of the head followed, than in such a situation she really should think of something else. So she took her phone out to send her mother a message. She could come here when she was close by. With more distraction, she certainly wouldn't behave silly.

Ruby glanced at Eddie carefully, but he was to her luck deep into his meal. Another look at the other opossum, told her that Crash would probably order more. Than this stuffed the fries into itself, as if this were a bet. Now that she saw his tray, she wondered if they had really walked the same way. Her stomach was already growling, but you doesn't have to exaggerate it.

A moment later, Eddie also took part in this stupid game. Now she really hoped that her mother would show up soon, then she could take care of the misery here.

Probably this was only the way the brothers deal with their worry for their niece. After all, something bad never happened before. At least, Ruby never saw that with the two fools. Or maybe she never got it, because they always treated her like a child before. Although she doesn't found it very nice to have to prove in such a situation that she was growing up. But these are things in life, no one asks you before what you would like.

If this abduction had not taken place, then surely she would have to do it without seeing the opossums. Ellie, after the election, had certain tasks for her brothers. With such a thing she was not always able to participate because she was still going to school and the mammoth found it important that students get enough free time after learning. One advantage was that her mother had been more relaxed since she got to know this family with all animals around. Even though she was very skeptical about the sabers in the beginning. Ruby, on the other paw, never found them dangerous, even though she doesn't knew at that time that the two big cats could also eat meat. But even after knowing this, she hasn't changed her mind. The two have never done anything that they should fear them.

The only thing that bothered her a bit was that Shira perhaps knows about her feelings for Eddie. She wasn't always acting wisely in the past, and the tigress never said anything. Still, there were glances that made her think. She wouldn't want to ask, because then she would have to talk about it. Shira and Ellie were the best friends and certainly told everything to each other.

The shock that probably all knew her secret, met the young skunk now like a lightning bolt. Certainly they have already discussed with her mother what she should do now. Or worse, her mother chattered it happily out by herself on a coffee table. The only thing she saved from further actions was this kidnapping. No, now she was really paranoid. Even if something should happen, it was in the end her own fault. Finally, she roared around in this club what she felt for the opossum.

"Hey." These words and a paw on her shoulder brought Ruby back to reality.

"Is everything ok?" Eddie continued, who stood next to her and looked worried. She shook her head to get rid of that for now. Than now there were other problems to think about.

"Yes." She gave out a short answer and looked around. Crash was apparently already in the process of ordering something else. She looked at her tray and noticed that she had hardly touched her food.

"They'll show up again." The opossum beside her, of course thought about the abducted animals. She did too. Only Ruby could do what she wanted, it wouldn't be the only thing that lingered in her head. Rather unconsciously, she stared at the paw, which was still on her shoulder. Even if she always wanted to give the cool one, she looked up from the body part upwards to the owner. He then opened his eyes a little shocked.

"I'm sure we'll find them in a while in one piece. So not that you think someone saws animals here for a magic show or anything like that. Come on, make the water go away from your eyes. You know exactly, I can't see that." Eddie chattered nervously and looked around again, before he briefly but also calmingly stroked the girl over the head. The clock on the wall said that it was slowly late for children to be outside alone. Another voice in his head said that Ruby wasn't alone, and she doesn't have the appearance of a child anymore. He quickly slipped a handkerchief to her, so that no one else could see her tears. The opossum doesn't like to see her sad. But in this situation he could do nothing to change that.

"It's just.. I'm thinking about Louis." When skunk spoke again, he sat back in his seat. In the corner of his eye, he saw his brother as he squirmed at the front of the counter. Certainly because he couldn't wait patiently for his food. Strange, thought Eddie. Normally he would go there too. He had always been different from his relative since he was hospitalized. He even noticed this, but he doesn't mind much. Only when it was about this girl, what was sitting opposite from him, everything bothered him. Wasn't it somehow his plan that she should meet more animals with the same age? But now he was going against the grain, because she was worried about the prickly fellow.

"He's doing fine. After all, he wasn't fished out of the street." Eddie's mouth was more offensive than expected. When the other opossum came back to the table, he immediately grabbed his ordered soy milkshake, then turned away. That even more stuff fell from the paws of Crash wasn't disturbing him. Than everything landed on the table.

"Of course, I think of the other two as well." The skunk girl noticed that she was a little annoyed with her interlocutor. But she thought Eddie knew she was worried about the disappeared ones without mentioning it. Apparently, he doesn't always understands her as she had previously believed.

"Tell me Crash, do you really want to eat it all?" Ruby tried to distract herself by talking to the other brother.

"Ofm courfe nom. Your Mumfter humpf mimf." Probably the muffing opossum thought that he was perfectly understood, for he happily continued to say words with the moth full.

"Oh no. There's the guy who always looks after you!" Eddie suddenly said warningly and the by other came from shock his drink out of the nose, which he just took to himself to flush the whole food down.

"There's no one there." Crash explained a bit annoyed, because such jokes he found not funny at all. When he sat down again, he noticed why his brother just said that. This only wanted to make his girlfriend laugh. Yes, he also noticed that she seemed a bit depressed. But that was normal when someone disappeared. Even if Eddie and he tried to hide their feelings, there wasn't a day when they weren't thinking of the two disappeared ones. They weren't even allowed to visit Ellie every day because their sister knew that they both would notice when she cried.

In other circumstances, the opossum doesn't cared to be unhelpful. But in times like these, in which the others didn't know any further, it was such a bother for them.

* * *

 

"Oh. Did the evil man frighten you?" Squint laughed amused, even if he was now bound, that couldn't stop him from having fun.

"Shut your mouth! Because of you, we only have this problem." Shira would gladly get rid of the furball in her rude style like in the past.

"Is the kitten sad because it can't go home?"

"One more word from you and I throw you behind to her!" Apparently, that came convincingly enough over, because after that, the hare finally held his big trap. Normally, Shira would now annoy him with who was scared here, but she had to think of more important things. For example, how long the narcotics lasted, what they have given to Peaches.  
The last days had been really cruel. Apparently, this drug or whatever it was, doesn't worked in the long run. Nevertheless, the stuff remained in the body and caused new anger outbursts from time to time. She never thought before that this girl could get so strong. But in the end the species still said mammoth. When the substance began to work properly for the first time, they were freed from the cellar vault, but nevertheless she managed to get away with life by a hair's breadth. Actually, they should go to a hospital, but she couldn't wait until something in the car woke up.

Yes, she thought. It was no longer the dear girl, which Ellie and Manny called their daughter. Of course, there were still some moments in which Peaches behaved as usual. But they became increasingly rare. She just couldn't hope that on the next awakening no killer would get up. That's why it would be a risk to go to a hospital. They just managed to drive out of the city. At the same time, she was sure that the nice gentleman would pass on the number plate of her stolen van to his colleagues. She just doesn't know what to do in need. The mammoth beat brutally around her and unfortunately she caught her a few times, but she couldn't just kill the girl. Diego and her friends would never forgive her. Even if, Shira couldn't live with the thoughts that she murdered a kid from someone else.

As badly as she wanted to see her family, she would only put them in danger when she appeared there with the car. The urge to report to Diego and explain everything got stronger with each passing day. But just because she knew him so long, she couldn't risk it. He would do anything for her out of love, but there were things he really should leave the paws of.

No. It was enough that her child couldn't see one parent. Her son now needed at least his father. What she felt and needs really doesn't mattered at the moment. No matter how this was going, she could definitely say that she had some happy years with her friends.

"Why are you driving so slowly?" Complained the little annoying lifeform again. She would like to throw him out of the window at full speed. Would be at least not a bad idea. Unfortunately, she couldn't do it because only the rabbit knew the way to this lab where this drug was produced. At least he could do nothing more, except to annoy her with his loose mouth, than of course, she also remembered a few tie tricks. But of course she took away all his weapons first. At least what was left, because when Peaches turned into this thing the first time, the rabbit doesn't have much time to pick up all his stuff on the spot.

On the one paw, she was glad that she'd left the mess. On the other, it could now also be discovered by false animals. Either Raz came back to notice that they had long disappeared, or other criminals are now crumbling in the rubble during the night.

She sighed and tried to concentrate on the speed. If they drive too fast, they get noticed and if they are too slow, they waste time which they don't have. And she was already breaking some rules on the street. She really doesn't tried to threaten anyone if she ignored red lights, but if the animals knew what was behind in the car, they would probably jump out of the way on their own.

"Hello? I'm talking to you." The little one proclaimed louder. He doesn't like it to be ignored.

"But I will not talk to you if you only give meaningless stuff out!" She wondered if the hare doesn't strain his own nerves, with his constant chattering. If he would at least spit out something useful between the directions, like info's of this drug. But no, stealing things without a plan was the specialty of Gutt's crew. But before that the captain had the ideas. However, now there was no longer this monkey and his former followers had to go through all alone. What looked so easy with him, doesn't really work so well with the remained crew now.

The kangaroo simply did what she wanted. And the others had their own reasons to follow her. Of course, she sometimes had a plan, but she never thought of anything like inconvenience. Probably, Raz still believed that the whole thing with the kidnapping and what was still hanging there, would simply be solved by itself. And of course without any damage on their side. The saber-toothed woman couldn't understand the thinking of her old colleagues anymore for a long time.

"Studies for Natural Science." As she turned again, as her companion pointed out, she read this shield.

"If you're kidding me, I'll kill someone for the first time after years." She explained, than she had no nerve for stupid jokes.

"Ha ha. How without your claws?" Replied the hare thoughtlessly. Shira rolled her eyes and stopped briefly with the van. Then she quickly pulled the knife out, which really belonged to the short animal and pressed the thing to his throat.

"In the end, it's even worthwhile that you keep it sharp." She said, putting the blade away before anyone saw the weapon from outside. Still other cars drove past them, but she already saw that the place for science was a little more secluded.

From one bunker and into the next, she thought, hoping that her new goal would smell a little more pleasant. Only the question was how to get into the fenced-in area. Just ringing and explaining their problem would probably bring nothing. After all, they could also be reporters who would like to take a look inside the institute. They will think that their story is a lie, because in the end, research is done here only for 'nature'.

Suddenly she heard a sound from behind. Her ears twitched a little nervously because she couldn't use it, that Peaches was now awakening and freaks out.

"I think our monster is awakening from his beauty sleep." Squint hopped down from the seat to protect himself from punches or other attacks. Finally, there was only one grid between the driver's cab and the supporting surface that did not look particularly stable.

"Don't call her that! Then you're the monster here, because you gave her the stuff."

"It was actually meant for you." Spitted the other one with the long ears back.

"And what would have happened? Even without claws I would have looked at you like you were a snack. And I just get sick only when I have to look at you for too long." The saber-toothed woman immediately got a strange taste in the mouth at the thought.

"I couldn't know that the stupid mammoth would still move. Besides, that was all Raz ideas anyway!" The hare told a little bit nervous as he watched the grid.

"If it had gone after me, we wouldn't be stuck in this situation."

"Let me guess, your plan would have been to kill us all right away?" Shira sighed, because of course the mind with this guy changed no more. This one nodded a little proud.

"I.."

"Be quiet!" Ordered the tigress, because something moved slowly behind. However, she couldn't take care of it for a long time, because suddenly someone knocked on the side window.

"I'd suggest you drive your car onto the piece of ground." Said a wolf to her as she made the window go down. She doesn't even notice him because she was too busy with what was going on in the car. The fellow might look like a nice guard, but his tone doesn't please her.

"And what is it, if not?" Of course Squint had to intervene and jumped up to the seat again. The guy who just talked to her wasn't really interested in the tied-up hare and just stared at Shira. Then he drew his coat aside to show her another reason why she should do now what was uttered. She sighed, because she couldn't say no to a machine gun. Of course, she still had the opportunity to throw the hare in the direction of guard and then go back with full speed, but they wanted to go in there anyway. But she really doesn't want to end up as a prisoner there.

The mammoth in the background made her nod quickly and drive through the open gate. Inside, she doesn't have time to marvel at everything, but grabbed Squint by the ears to throw him out of the car. Of course they were surrounded here quickly. The tigress hoped that with the little ruffian she could make something like a peace offer. She just wanted to explain her story so that the animals here could heal Peaches again.

"We come in peace." She tried, raising her paws as she got out of the car. The hare next to her began to laugh and Shira regretted her sentence immediately, because it sounded really stupid. However, in her condition it was a miracle that she could still think clearly.

"Yes, we just want to conquer this planet and enslave you all." Squint was already laughing at the ground. A bang then interrupted him and the tigress would have been glad about it, but the crash came unfortunately from their car. The back door got broken. To dodge or doing other things, she stepped carefully around the car, so she could now see the mammoth.

"What's going on here?" Peaches asked with a yawn and rubbed her eyes a bit as if she had been taken out of bed in the middle of the night. The silvery saber-toothed tiger felt a little relieved that the younger one had just regained her normal personality.

"Sorry, but why.. Shira! What happened to you?" When the young mammoth saw a familiar face, she immediately ran towards it. It was also a mystery to her where and why they are here. First of all it was important that her friend got injured and that had to be treated now.

"It's not so bad." The tigress answered her a little pleased, which only confused her more. Finally, the wounds looked really painful. Only now did she realize that armed animals were standing around her.

Were they responsible for Shira's injuries? Or was something done to her?

Than when the girl looked down, she realized that she wasn't just running around in torn clothes, but that dried blood stuck to her too. It smelled of her, so she had to be hurt. Strange that she felt no pain at all. It was also weird that she tried to remember how it came to this moment, but everything seemed so black and empty in her head. She remembered the kidnapping and wanted to protect the big cat from an attack. An attack with a syringe. Exactly and then everything was just dark.

"What's going on here? Why are we trapped here? Did we do something illegal?" The last question asked Peaches rather timidly, because just because she doesn't remember anything, doesn't mean that nothing happened at all. The mere fact that she woke up in a wagon of a car should give her a thought. With these strange headaches, however she found it not easy to focus on something.

"I can help you a little, darling. So you only wanted to.." But the tigress quickly made sure that Squint held his mouth again. The girl had been through enough in Shira's eyes, it was unimportant that she now learned the whole story.

"What is he doing here?! Shouldn't you rotting somewhere in a prison?" Said the young mammoth when she recognized the hare. Even if it was years ago, she still remembered Gutt and his crew. Because of this guy, she sometimes got nightmares at night, but so far she doesn't told anyone. It wasn't really worth mentioning, because the criminals were locked away. At least she believed that until that moment.

Squint bit into the paws of the larger animal, who wanted to ban him from the words. Whereupon he landed again on the ground again, but could jump around at his own pleasure.

"Shira has been bored in her life and wanted to see me again. Then she just freed me from my uncomfortable home." But the mammoth wasn't falling into the lies of the rabbit.

"I don't know how we got into the situation, but I think most of it is your fault." The young woman knew that the saber-toothed woman never told everything openly as her mother, but that wasn't bothering her family and her. She had a good character and that's what counts most with friends.

"You don't know her at all and therefore you have no pale glimmer what she would do and don't. I.." For some reason, Peaches wanted to continue to defend Uncle Diego's girlfriend, but that just kept her from it. A paw lay on her shoulder and she looked away from the little annoying something. The tigress also looked somewhere else, so she did the same. At last movement came into the play with the animals that surrounded them, who previously only observed them. Some guards, or whatever they were, walked back a little, opening the circle.

"Give the professor a little more space!" The two women looked braced in the direction. Always ready to defend. Especially the silvergrey tigress slowly got an uncomfortable feeling that they had came here. Perhaps her physical situation also deprived her judgment, but she would remain vigilant.

It wasn't long and there were two gentlemen before them who apparently worked in the building. A middle-aged skunk with a white scrubs and glasses, but it was hanging from a chain at the neck. The white fabric also saw better days, because there were some splashes of liquids on it. Shira could no longer tell whether it was blood, because she had already had too much of Peaches and her own in the nose.

The other guy, who was a younger mammoth, looked more like an assistant or treadmill. The saber-toothed woman quickly noticed that he was staring at the female specimen next to her. She also wondered how much time would have to pass before someone explained or asked questions. Probably it was only seconds of silence, except the armed animals in the background, who always whispered or stepped from one leg to the other, but all this took too long for her.

"We want.." But Shira doesn't come to the end of her sentence.

"Julian?" Heard the big cat from Peaches confused and she was clear, the two mammoths knew each other.

"Haha! Gupta owes me money because he said that not all of them same species know each other." Squint was almost proud and she thought slowly, the guy wasn't disturbed by ropes around him anymore. Shira sighed annoyed and was about to beg that someone had to free the idiot from his suffering of stupidity. But there was no time for that, because this guy in the white coat suddenly ordered something and then the three got shot. The tigress doesn't felt pain, so she assumed that they were all only benumbed. At least she was now allowed to rest a little.


	16. Old Friend? Alone? Imprisoned Forever?

"That was so typical again!" A trash can was knocked over, because an angry possum had to run down into the shop and vent the spleen on something. Crash just needed change now and that from everything here. Everything was so confused and incomprehensible. But the chaos wasn't really caused by his brother or him, so they didn't like it either.

This morning, the police again visited their sister and brother-in-law. As if this weren't already routine. The one gentleman probably only wanted to imply that the missing one can no longer be found alive. Nevertheless, the guy could have done this more tactfully. In this profession you probably see some stuff, but they all lived in a quiet town. That is why abductions do not occur every day. In any case, he always thought that. Just because he doesn't look at the news so often, he wasn't so blue-eyed, thinking that nothing happened.

For the first time he was glad that Manny was in a bad mood because the policeman probably didn't take them seriously in this situation. Probably because the man already knew them and had nothing to spare. There you play once a prank and already some animals are always sour. Yes, a shirt from the guy got destroyed in it and others in the street have also noticed. The lover found it funny.

Now that he was thinking about it, the moment seemed strange to him. Eddie was looking for the victim this time and had to take care of where the target animal lived. Maybe it wasn't just the shirt that day.

"Oh, I can't care about this now!" He spoke again to himself. The situation was really never so serious and his brother was already pitied by the skunks again. The younger one of them was fortunately usually at school, so she doesn't noticed the weakness of his brother so much. Lorene also told her daughter nothing. She said the girl has already enough in her head. In addition, it shouldn't come to Ruby's mind to skip school again because of this thing. She couldn't tolerate renewed stress with the teachers and finally send her child to a boarding school. Supposedly, it would also be difficult for her. Crash was never so sure there, but the skunk mother had always been different from Ellie.

And even if he doesn't want to admit it himself, he felt sorry for Eddie in this situation. But pity was the last thing this would like from him. The doctors said that the tablets didn't worked like they should, which he got prescribed. At least he understood it like this. Had the time come when they finally had to pay for their unhealthy lifestyle? Why did not his body begin to protest? After all, as twins, they made almost everything together.

Crash found the whole thing just confusing. When the other opossum left the hospital, this seemed more as healthy to him. Now unintelligibly, it went down the mountain again and he felt something like fear. Was it not enough that their niece and the saber-toothed lady had disappeared? Of course he couldn't tell Ellie the truth about her brother, and he also asked the doctor to hold back with the information. Family or not, her sister had it already hard enough, because Peaches maybe couldn't come back.

"No, no." He said loudly, hitting the counter. Only thinking positively is allowed, he thought further and looked around. Through the window he saw that it was cloudy outside. Rain would only bring down his mood more. On the other paw, there was nothing that could really cheer him up right now. For the first time in long he felt left alone by everyone. Yes, he could look for clues out there with other animals, but the searching groups were getting smaller and smaller every day. None of them believed that they would find the missing ones in the city. Or alive at all. Some were just cruel to talk about such things in hearing distance. Couldn't they wait with their nasty thoughts until they were in their own four walls?

The opossum simply doesn't want to think more about where the two got abducted. The whereabouts could be where else. Whether dead or alive, without the slightest information, it was simply hopeless.

Sighing, he dropped his arms on the counter. So that he could still look out of the shop window, should still someone appear here today. But most of the regular customers were already passing by to get the morning newspaper and perhaps cigarettes. In such situations, he would really like to light a grit again. But he shouldn't take advantage of the situation to use it later as an excuse. Whether he was smoking or not, it doesn't matter at the end, because it wouldn't change anything nor soothe his nerves.

And the depressed opossum thought it couldn't get worse, but then he recognized his stalker on the other side of the road. For a moment, he just watched the guy before he threw everything reasonable out of his head. Somehow, every one gets this time when they're fed up to the back teeth and with him just approached this moment. He would now get out there, push the guy into the side street and then they both deal with it like real men. He just felt as if he had nothing more to lose. Perhaps this time he was allowed to visit the hospital as a guest and stare at some nurses ass.

Quickly once again he went in the pocket of his trousers to feel if there was still his folding knife and then he already took the lower door latch into the paw, which was intended for his size. If you wanted to run a store in this world, you had to have everything for the average size. Besides, the possums also wanted their sister to come by now and then. They both were already looking for a mechanical door, which could be reduced if necessary, so that the unwanted brother-in-law wouldn't be trampling too often in here. Unfortunately they had to realize that the installation alone would be much too expensive for them.

Crash took another deep breath, because with such thoughts he wanted only to distract himself long enough. The question was just what he was really waiting for. Strange that his prosecutor hasn't even entered the shop yet. On the other paw, it was also impossible than he was playing with the door lock all the time.

"I'm going out. No, I don't. Maybe I should have the knife already in the paw. Who knows what the perverse guy is doing with me." He just carried the thing with him to cut package tapes or something else in the store, because Eddie left only scissors for children lying around. You cut yourself for one time into the paw when you're making a sandwich and it will never be forgotten again. His brother was sometimes too resentful. Well yes, then dripped a little from his red soup into the mayonnaise glass. What was the problem there? They are brothers, so he doesn't found such things so dramatic.

He left the sharp thing in his pocket as he finally locked the door from the outside. He was still practicing a bit of his dark faces in the shop window, which he hoped that no one saw this and then turned boldly to his stalker.

Good-looking or not, you couldn't do anything with that face. Wait a moment? These were Eddie's thoughts. Not his. For him, he was a foolish suit carrier.  
As he walked across the street, he realized that he was supposed to have better words. He was never really good at verbal expression, when it was important and he doesn't want to come over ridiculous right now.

It was much too late for such considerations, because his opponent was only a few steps away from him. Why had Crash suddenly the idea to bring this confrontation so fast behind him that he almost ran into the guy? Still this wasn't making a sound, but stepped back as he continued to approach him.

"Wait a moment! I am the victim here. So let ME pull back, fearfully!" He threw his opponent angrily into the face.

"I... I'm sorry. The whole thing was a misunderstanding. I didn't know..." The other tried to start apologizing, but the possum gave him no chance to come to an end.

"What?! You didn't know that animals feel oppressed and frightened when you follow them in a scary way?" Crash came found that he came over like a mad man and he liked it, because maybe he could finally end the stupid game like this. He was standing one or two steps ahead of the guy and went even closer. It had to be as threatening as possible, like in this film from last night.

However, the opossum doesn't want any protection money and wasn't even caring about the small size difference. With the darkest expression of his face he could do, he stared the other into the eye. His paw on the other man's chest and this couldn't back away anymore because there was already a wall.

Perfect, he thought, because at last he could turn the tables. He would now grab an ear from his enemy and tell him if this lousy tour continues, that he would turn him into Van Goat. Does he imagined this, or did the guy used a very expensive shampoo? At that age you meet only models with such soft fur. It smelled a little like..

"Mama, what are they doing?" Suddenly, Crash turned away from his opponent to spin around. He also asked himself what he had for a dung in his head.

"They only wanted to give each other a kiss, because they love each other. But now come and stop staring!" Said a armadillo mother and pulled her child further. Probably animals who visit here or are on the transit.

"Hey Lady! Don't you have no eyes in your head? I didn't want to..." But of course, no attention was paid to him and the woman quickly disappeared with the little one around the corner. He also found it typical. If he is threatened, there is no one on the street. As soon as he wants to defend himself, animals come crawling from every bush.

"There's nothing to be seen here!" He growled to an older beaver on the other side of the road because this stopped too. He went on quickly, but muttered something of 'the youth nowadays' in his beard. A little hyper, the opossum turned to its real problem.

"And now to you. What were you thinking of bothering me all the time?" He wasn't getting too close to the raccoon or small cat and for the time being it also doesn't seem necessary to grab his knife. Shamefaced, the other looked to the ground, as if Crash was really the culprit. Was that a new trick to keep him mad?

"It wasn't really my intention to scare you. I did not think.."

"Hey, for the record here. I was to hundred percent NOT scared of someone like you." He said sharply as the shorter one and crossed the paws. Yet he doesn't turn his eyes away because he always had to be prepared for an attack. In the end, he doesn't want to disappear next.

"Let me explain. I just thought you were the same as before, and you've been pretending like you didn't know me. Then I slowly understood that you really didn't recognize me because.." Now the opossum found that this conversation took a strange, if not creepy turn.

"Are you the one from the gas station? Listen to me, I was drunk and thought the thing on there.."

"What? No. Do you really not know who I am, Crash? Elliot Coon. We used to be at the same school." He wanted to hit the guy for just muttering his name, as if it were allowed. But when he heard the name from the past, a bell rang in his head. Also other details about him came back.

"No matter how you've figured it out, good nose. I don't want to hear anything else about it!" Slowly he felt like he should really go to the police. Finally, the perverse was already wandering around in his past. Would this now blackmail him? What would his opponent demand? Money? His body? Crash found himself too young and innocent for something like that.

"But.." No, he couldn't lose and had to keep the upper paw here.

"No buts! I'm sick of the weird game. You can't be Elliot because first of all he was much thicker and secondly he had a fur problem."

Although the boy from the past looked a bit chubby from the beginning, but the unusual thing was the black hair all over the body. Raccoon's shouldn't be single-colored at all and so the poor fellow was also avoided by his species. Eddie and Crash had to go through that too, but most of the time they still had each other. Elliot got no one. He doesn't even have siblings, because his parents were afraid that the next child would be born again with a genetic defect or something like that.

Crash knew it all because he got bored with detention and the teachers had the great idea of separating him from his brother for some afternoons. Apparently this plan should make them both more obedient. Of course, it never helped.

It was strange that only he saw the dark raccoon after class, which he first thought was an exchange student from overseas. Eddie would have told him otherwise of this extraordinary. But he never lost a syllable about it and so he did the same. Yes, the raccoon had more on the ribs, but this one found him funny and nice in a peculiar way. No one ever has told him that so openly. Of course, his family thought so. Eddie probably less. But to hear it from outside made strange thoughts arise in him. Maybe just because his brother and he got from the most outsiders that they were only annoying. He also played a trick on the raccoon and this wasn't reacting like Crash was used to.

But before he could think about more, the fellow disappeared one day and he never saw him again. At that time he simply thought, the other moved with his family somewhere else. As a teenager you couldn't do as much as today and keep in touch with your mobile phone. They both were only detention-mates, not more.

"You know you can lose weight and dye your fur." He heard it from the back, as he thought about what could really prove to him that this was the real Elliot and not a perverse stalker, that had information about him. The possum cursed himself for not being as clever as his sister. But he couldn't get on her nerves now.

"Oh yes? Tell me something that only the real Elliot Coon can know." Cool and waiting, he turned around again so that the situation finally clears up. At the same time, he tried to remember as much of the school time as possible, so that he got no bear on the back here.

Somehow he shouldn't laugh, but at the thought again came the one prank into his mind, where he really had bound such a large animal with his brother to someone. This was really funny, but unfortunately they had stay away from such jokes lately. Nobody should feel compelled to actually lock him and his brother in a hotel for a few nights, where there are bars instead of curtains at the window.

"Are you listening to me at all? Or do you daydream again? Well, now there are no teachers who can forbid that." Inquired his opposite and then laughed strangely. But not like at this event or at another previous time. Somehow it looked more genuine now, thought the possum, and suddenly he got the proof he had asked for. Now the raccoon showed his teeth and one of them was still as crooked as in school.

"There was probably no dentist who could fix that." Abruptly, his opponent closed his mouth and even held his paws in front of it, as if he felt ashamed.

"Hey, this wasn't meant like that. It's not that bad either. Look at my choppers." Crash said something like an apology and opened his mouth, even though he was still a bit undecided about how he should behave towards this guy. For a moment he forgot everything from before and acted like at school. But before he could ask any more questions, it suddenly began to drip from above. First only lightly, but the rain got stronger quickly.

"Come in." He cried, because somehow his former stalker could help him now to beat some time.

"No. I don't want to bo.. "

"What? Bothering me? You should have thought about that before, because now you're obligated to do that." Without thinking, he pulled the raccoon across the street into their shop.

* * *

 

Katie was in the apartment of the molehog for an hour or two. Actually, she just wanted to pass by to look after the prickly one, because she knew it wasn't anything but easy for him. But she thought not to bring the others to this place. Even if not every mammoth has this annoying property, but her friends can sometimes trample around tactless. In addition, Ethan and his buddy also roamed somewhere out there and search for the missing ones. The blonde was sure the man also did this, so he can run away from his wife. Once again. A bit she found it disgusting that the situation got exploited for it. Finally, even more animals could disappear. But Steffie and her friend with benefits, mixed their relationship in this. Are they going to hear in the future that it was also Peaches fault that they were arguing? For sure, she just thought like this because she was mad at her friend. In the end, maybe Steffie probably doesn't also know how to deal with the situation. So she just did exactly what she could do best. Namely, babbling about herself.  
The bright mammoth tried to get the rest of her crazy clique out of her head for now, because she doesn't just come here to sit around. Earlier, when she arrived, Louis wasn't alone. But it was obvious that he was unable to cope with this. At any rate, she recognized it immediately.

Two other ladies seemed to have the same idea like her. If she'd been attentive, one is Louis workmate, who knows exactly how to dress herself. She had no idea that you earn that much money as archaeologist, that you can buy a whole outfit from Fucci. Probably this fox had not only one thing and she hoped she wasn't starring too conspicuously as she entered the room.

Of course, she also noticed Ruby's mother by all the glamour and she wasn't actually coming here to chat about fashion. Perhaps another time when the situation had improved significantly. The blonde also doesn't know before that the little one was so popular with women.

If she had to answer honestly, she wouldn't reject a date with him either. The stuff, with only having eyes for the own species, she left behind for a long time. First, because there weren't so many mammoths living nearby and second, other animals are usually also more interesting. She knew most of the details about her own kind. So it had to be boring in a relationship with another mammoth. At least she always thought that.

On the other hoof, she never talked to the little one about it because she wanted to spare everyone the inconveniences. The molehog saw perhaps just Peaches in this way. Useless to try to start something and then only finding out that he was really just into this one mammoth. You can't control your own feelings, even if this would make things much easier.

In addition, her peach-colored friend would always stand between them and perhaps even learn things she doesn't want to hear. Katie doesn't want to destroy the special friendship between Peaches and Louis, just because she was sometimes a little curious.

It was also odd to her that Peaches doesn't ever noticed the feelings of her best friend at all, because even their whole gang was more or less aware of it. Even if the smaller one mastered it well to hide this. Sometimes there were still clear sights of it. Then he looked at Peaches as if there was nothing else in the world that needs his attention. Yes, there were moments when she felt something like pity for the prickly one. But slowly she realized that he was trying to live without Peaches. Only he never really cuts the first love out of the picture. When he took the trip a year ago, it came to her mind that he also wanted to get away from his best friend. Perhaps there was something going on, than the matter seemed so sudden to her.

So many questions in her head, but she couldn't ask them. At least not now. Even if she shouldn't put her trunk in everything. She had to take care of the essentials.  
This white vixen would probably not return for the time being, than Louis managed to convince her that he was doing fine. But he couldn't convince the skunk so easily, while she sat quietly in the middle. Of course, the molehog was more than on the ground in the situation, but he doesn't need twenty-four hours of care. Did he seemed to others weak and helpless in the moment?

Maybe Katie had no look for something like this, because she noticed nothing. Finally, he designed quick a map that was much clearer than any other city maps. So they were fast divided into better search groups after the first few days. They searched everything and gradually they realized that the missing animals were no longer here. Obviously, policemen were allegedly looking for signs outside of the town, but nothing has been found. Or something has already been discovered, but the public shouldn't know this. At least not until a 'pleasant' solution was feasible. Although she was never so interested in politics and the rest, but she also got the conditions here.

No, such thoughts had to disappear quickly. Than what had the current head of the city from concealing two dead bodies, who were most likely murdered? She doesn't know much about the saber-tooth woman, but Peaches would never have surrendered herself with shady figures to summon an abduction with subsequent death. Perhaps the two cases don't hang together and it was just pure coincidence that the two know each other. Probably it could have hit anyone. Or that will still happen.

"Could you go, too?" She was uninflected asked, but Louis doesn't even looked up from his laptop. A moment later the little one noticed in which tone he spoke and so he began to talk again. But this time something more friendly. At least it sounded like that to her.

"I know you care in your own way and want to help somehow. But I've already told Lorene, I feel better in the situation when I'm alone." Still, he doesn't even looked into her face at the announcement. He probably doesn't want to reveal that he too was gradually coming to the end of his powers.

"If you had disappeared, you wouldn't want that Peaches.." The sentence quickly found someone who broke it, because the prickly one couldn't let that get to his ears.

"Not. I am unfortunately not the one who was abducted. So thank you for your visit, but please go now. You can come back tomorrow or in a couple of days, if you can arrange it in time." Katie sighed and nodded before she left the apartment. Even if she doesn't like the words. Louis was acting like he would not to be missed if it had really hit him. It was also clear that the molehog would deal with her tomorrow just as 'nice' as today. But she promised Peaches to always look out for him if something should ever happen to her. Well it was promised at a party with too much alcohol when Steffie got twenty years. Still, she doesn't feel bad about holding on to it.

The animal, which was finally alone in his apartment, sighed and pushed aside the technique things. This stuff couldn't help him. All around him thought he needed company. His family would surely have come up here too if he had told that Peaches disappeared. But he doesn't want that, because then they had another reason why he should move away. They found his idea of living here, always bad. He should better live closer to the family and perhaps work in the company of his brother. He really doesn't want to. Even if his best friend would never..

No, he couldn't start thinking like the others. Were Peache's parents and he only the only ones, who had still hope to find the missing ones alive? Even with the saber-toothed tiger, he slowly got the suspicion that this was on the way to give up. Of course he had to take care of his son by the way. Nevertheless Louis had no understanding for it at all. Yes, it tortured him every day, when nothing was found. Ellie wasn't obligated, but she called him every evening. From time to time it was harder for him not to burst into tears and to say that he was sorry. That one evening he should have better watched his friend, maybe then he had noticed that she wasn't fine. But he only thought of himself and whether his stupid secret was out. Actually, Ruby was most responsible for it.

He immediately shook it off. The skunk girl has done nothing wrong like everyone else. The only culprits were the hijackers.  
As if it had not happened a hundred times, he wondered again what there was for a particular reason, just to catch Shira and Peaches from the street. So much could make sense, but he wouldn't want anything to be true.

He slowly lowered his head to the table. No need to go through all the details when there were things he just doesn't know. As a child, he always seemed a little useless and superfluous, but his best friend managed to change this attitude. Even with her size, he never felt small or unimportant beside her.

'It's gonna be ok.' Said the peach-colored mammoth always to him and she usually infected him with her positive attitude when there were problems.

"How if you're not here?" However, now the otherwise encouraging sentence meant nothing to him.

* * *

 

When the saber-toothed tigress awoke this time, she lay in a bright room. Probably because most of the furniture was white. When the sun shone in, one had to get used to the bright light first.

It also took a moment, until she realized with her nose, that she no longer smelt blood, and secondly, she lay alone in this room. Someone had taken care of her wounds and put her in this strange suit. The whole thing reminded her of these films, which are supposed to play in the distant future. Everything seemed new and modern. Nothing was of yesterday. And yet it was probably a prison.

Now that the pain no longer annoyed her, she could really think better. Her head was still buzzing a bit, but it was better to endure than anything she'd felt before.  
The decision to come here, she now doubted not only a little. Her inner alarm bells were now clearly recognizable. But what dangers could they expect? And where are her companions? Of course she doesn't care about Squint. If she was lucky, he finally got the deserved job. To end as a experiment object.

She sat up from the bed, which was build of a metal frame and a white-related mattress. It was sufficient to rest and the room temperature was high enough that you didn't need blankets. Probably all this was thought-out so that the prisoners need as little as possible to live here.

Yes, it might look like a normal living space, but she knew exactly the futuristic door on the other side was locked. The mirror, which hung in the corner above a sink, was surely so big that someone else could see in here from the other side. Perhaps she was wrong and cameras were distributed here. All this wasn't important to her at first, because she needs finally answers to her many questions.

A roller blind went down by the window and made sure that it wasn't so glaring in here. Apparently her waking was noticed. So there were mechanical spies after all. Here she was already working with the latest technology, than although she felt rested and almost painless, her nose still heard nothing.

Again she looked down at herself and noticed only now that her wounds had almost healed. Normally it would take days, if not even weeks. For how long was she asleep?  
At last her ears heard something and suddenly the mirror showed a different picture than this room here. She knew beforehand that something was wrong with the thing.

"Good Morning. Or should we rather say good evening?" The tigress strode closer to this screen and looked as expected, at this skunk. Apparently, it was amused briefly, with his little joke, but his face quickly became neutral again.

"What am I doing in here and where is the mammoth girl?" Shira doesn't want to know more at the moment. The other rolled his eyes, probably because she looked a bit indignant.

"Otherwise everyone wants to know everything about the lightning trick and this place here. But well, we couldn't also talk around it for a long time. After all, you should immediately know that you will live here forever." She couldn't hide the shocked face by these words.

"What?!"

"Don't be afraid. Of course, the mammoth will stay here too, and you may occasionally see her." The other explained this like it should be a comfort to her.

"But we have families and friends. They.." However, the guy in the white coat wasn't letting her talk.

"Will look for you and miss you? You should have thought about that before you came in contact with number 27."

"Number 27? Do you mean that what was in the syringe?" This striped animal was doing nothing, and yet the saber-toothed cat would like to jump at his throat if there would be nothing between them.

"Well, no master has fallen from heaven yet. That's why we needed a few attempts to find the right recipe."

"But I didn't get an injection." She said with a spark of hope, to get out of here and free Peaches later.

"Do you think we haven't already figured this out? Everyone who enters this building, or comes unconsciously in.." He again did like this all was a joke, but tried to keep his grip and not to laugh.

"... gets thoroughly checked." And then he pointed out to her that he knew what her name was and where she came from.

"So Shira." That she was spitting at him, of course, doesn't bother this guy in the least. But she hated it that he talked to her as if they were old friends chatting about the weather.

"You know too much and that's why we can't let you go." Again, he smiled and it only made her angrier.

"That's not fair! We were abducted and forced into this situation. Can't you simply heal Peaches and then let us go?" Probably the skunk wasn't liking it to hear that.

"Fairness doesn't exist in life. You have to come to terms with what comes to you. A cure is out of the question, because the mammoth isn't sick. On the contrary, this is a chance we can't miss. Until now, the girl showed excellent results. It would be a waste to put that to rest." The tigress was now more horrified, than they didn't seem to be afraid of murder.

"Forgive me, we have probably used the wrong word. Nobody gets killed here so quickly, because that would also be somehow a waste and we don't particularly like that."

"Why do you want to keep the girl here? She is still young and has her whole life. It's ok for me to stay here. So you can keep me and give me the drugs. But please, let the mammoth go." Already as she said that, she knew it was in vain. It wouldn't be easy for both of them to come out here or to contact their families.

"Don't you see Shira? It's going to be so good because she is still so young. Even the mind is still malleable. In addition, we can't give anyone here number 27 simply. Normally only selected animals are included in the program. The mammoth is a lucky hit. First, because her physical condition is very appropriate and secondly, we can finally test a larger specimen." Now she also noticed that her claws weren't re-blended during her mental absence. This doctor or professor seemed to be very sure of his cause.

"She isn't an experimental object! But you take the dumb little animal that was with us for that." To remain calm was really not easy in this unpleasant situation.

"Oh yes, the rabbit. What was his name again? Squint? He has only smelled the truth serum and chattered without end. We don't know exactly what to do with him. Even if he isn't smart enough to break in here alone, he still helped steal some samples from number 27 and that should be punished in any case. Also, you will hear the rules from here very soon and keep to it. We don't like it when someone is disobedient. Then we are always forced to go through harder means. Usually this doesn't end up nicely. But lately it was rather quiet here. Well, if you ignore the burglary and your visit. Oh, I see there is eating time now. We talk again later. After all, you shouldn't feel disadvantaged. So if you choose to live here, you also need a job."

“No! Wait, I.." But then the screen returned to the mirror and she only saw her desperate image. How could they get into something like that? What had they done to deserve this place here? It looked more homely than this bedraggled building from before, but it still doesn't feel any more free. Mindless to let her rage out on the the interior decorations. It wouldn't bring her any further anyway, because this crazy guy really knew what he was doing here. Shira must unfortunately stay patient, because there was always a way out. She would use her chance with the slightest mistakes of her opponents. Of course, everything had to be planned very well because she shouldn't fail.

A little bit felt the saber-tooth ashamed, because somehow with this challenge came at the same time the thrill, which she doesn't actually need in a peaceful life. Surely only imagination, because it can't possibly be fun to break out of a dangerous prison.

'So if you choose to live here', the sentences of this skunk repeated in her head and she snorted contemptuously. Choosing?! She wondered how this guy defined this word at all?

She wants to go home, or at least only hear the voices of her family and friends. Shira thought of her son and Diego and whether the two got along well without her. Surely. Her fiancée would do the job best. Even if this was very nervous at the beginning, it faded away with the time. As if she wasn't suffering from nervousness here and there. The male saber-toothed tiger always represented everything as if she were the one who could solve everything perfectly. But she only managed to do this with him and their friends.  
And here she was alone now. Alone with her thoughts and alone with this problem. Although the young mammoth was also somewhere here in this area, but still she knew nothing from the girl. She just hoped that this madman in the coat wouldn't hurt Peaches.

Again a sound was made in the room and tray of food was pushed through a wide slot a at the door. It seemed a little like eating from hospitals, but she wasn't as interested now as the light scent of a male mammoth.

"Wait! Please, tell me she is alright. Her wounds.." But she was interrupted by the guy outside the door.

"Why did you guys do such a stunt? Somehow absolutely crass dangerous. I.." You could hear a faint voice and she doesn't understand everything, because it was probably a walkie-talkie or something like that. But she knew it was the skunk.

"Yes understood. Sorry, it was only.. No,I just.. Understood." The other one behind the door sounded down, probably because this professor was commanding this guy. She wondered what the mammoth had for reasons that it was just obeying. He stood before that door, but that doesn't mean that he could get away from here.

"Peaches is on the way to recovery. You going to hear more later." Order from above, she thought with an eye-roll because he couldn't see it.

"Shira."

"I know your name. It's just forbidden.."

"It's okay. You can call me like that. Your name was Julian, if I haven't misheard it." First give out a fake friendly nature and at some point she will use her claws. She hoped she doesn't have to do it with the boy, because he seemed like a victim in this game. But she could be wrong. In this shack she couldn't trust anyone so easily.

"Yes that's right. It's only.."

"Your boss wants you to talk to us only with numbers or some code names?" The silence lasted for a long time and so her question was confirmed.

"Are you talking to Peaches like this too?" Asked the silver-gray tigress, because she thought that there might be feelings between the two and she could use it for the escape. At least if Julian felt something.

"I missed the time to chat with her." This striped guy, who is supposed to be the boss here, wasn't likely allowing that the two mammoths meet.

"I understand that. It's probably a hard job here. Well, I don't want to stop you any longer." She said, because she knew he would return sooner or later. To sound too desperate now wouldn't bring her anything.

"Boah yes, that can be quite exhausting here. But maybe my d.. the doctor will get a better mood if he can deal with new animals. But you.. No, you're right. As you can see.. Oh, sorry. You can't. In any case I have to bring the others something to bite. See you later." And the slot closed and she doesn't heard anything anymore. The food was still on a tray and hung at the door, which she had never seen before. This space was then also sound-proofed. But that doesn't mean that her observer couldn't hear her. It was probably best to take the tray and sit down at the table. Nobody would help it if she refused food here and starved.

She felt a little bit relief already, when she realized that they had also substitute food here. If they would have forced her to eat real meat, she could never again enter the world out there. Either such a thought came to this skunk not yet or it wasn't so easy to get meat. That too made her a little more glad. At the same time she thought about the fact that probably not everyone was aware of this substitute food and could also starve because of the lack of meat. Something like this could happen to any carnivore, no matter what age.

Shira closed her eyes and tried to forget this for now. Wasn't enough to be trapped here? Did she have to put other problems into her head? Was it the work and her life that distracted her from such things all the time? Probably. Since Diego and her are the only official carnivores in their city, she never needed to think about it. However, now there was their child and perhaps it does not remain with one. And what if it's possible that even more of their kind come to the city?

The taste of the food brought her back to the carpet of facts. It wasn't that you couldn't push it in the mouth, but at home she would never eat that voluntarily. She was in a laboratory and so tasted the food too. Almost too perfect and yet missing something. When Ellie cooked, the tongue never got the same. Here some of these herbs, there once too much pepper, because the house owner himself passed the stove and complained last time, it would be too light.

Despite her position the tigress had to smile when she thought about past meals with her friends. The mammoth mother could always be praised as a cook, than she cooked with the heart and joy. Here, of course, it wasn't like that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not so important info:  
> Van Goat = Van Gogh merely he was a goat in this world. And he has eaten the sunflowers after he painted them. The real ones and sometimes the pictures XD  
> To tie/bind someone a bear on the back= Is a german saying for to hoax somebody or pull someones leg. Just telling lies.  
> Fucci = Gucci (but pronounced like fuzzy)


	17. Music Concert And Restless

"This is so great! I mean, it's kind of good that we can enjoy a little variety with all this.." But the sloth was interrupted by his companion.

"Sid you don't have to feel guilty because you have a little fun here. I am well aware that you are also worried. After the last days, we have all deserved a bit of a change. I know it's not so easy to enjoy a break after what happened." But if we don't do this from time to time, we're all get at our ends fast. This last sentence, Ruby thought just for herself, because it was obvious. After these words, the music quickly became louder again in this hall, and she instructed the others to look forward again. Normally the young skunk was not the type to cheer others up, but everyone had to go through it once.

Perhaps she also takes the opportunity to get away from her mother and the whole drama. At least one evening. Slowly it began to be depressing and they can't run forever with hanging heads through the area. Peaches and Shira certainly wouldn't want that. And so she volunteered to accompany the sloth to the concert. All the others didn't want to. She found it unfair to get mad at Sid because he allowed himself to do something like this at that time. Ellie herself also said he shouldn't waste the tickets. But it was obvious to Ruby that she wasn't really keen to loud music now. For her it was unfamiliar to see the mammoth mother sad. Everyone who had only a little bit of a heart would never dare to hurt this woman in any way.

Yet it happened and parents who the child got stolen couldn't be consoled. Yes, Diego also lost his wife, but with him the feeling was a little different. She felt that he missed the tigress. Still, he tried to shut it all down as soon as the little saber was near. A bit she was afraid to stay near the tiger or the mammoths. She was used to be the pertly brat before. But now she doesn't dare to say anything because she was afraid to come over tactless. She wouldn't want to torture anybody with her impertinent mouth, and so she usually wasn't saying much, even if you asked her something.

Though her mother was a bit surprised at her actions as she pushed herself to the forefront and grabbed the second ticket for the music event. At first she saw how her guardian was already taking breath to protest against it, but then nothing happened. It was only said that a sloth would lose his fur if something happened to her. Ruby rolled her eyes at such moments and would like to point to her age. Finally, she was eighteen years old now, even if she couldn't celebrate it. It was clear to the girl that her mother wanted to avoid losing her too, but she couldn't always stay at home because of the abduction.

It was strange that she can think better about all that with the loud music than when it was quieter around her. The singer herself doesn't really hit the taste of her ears, but it wasn't sounding unacceptable either. A little like what was on the radio. For a while you could bear it, and if she could make it to cheer up at least one animal from the group, she would be able to sleep a bit better tonight.

Should it really come to that Peaches and Shira couldn't be found, no matter in which condition, they had to lead all their lives somehow. Even she doesn't quite know what her plans were. Before this terrible event, she almost had clear goals for the future. At least she knew what she wanted to do next year. She also wanted to get her feelings under control. In this predicament, she no longer knew what to do. Eddie seems to her more unapproachable with every day. Of course, he still talked to her when it had to be, but she felt strange around him. The word, unwelcome, is perhaps the best for this behavior, and nothing of it was expressed by the possum itself. Before the whole thing, he always said how much her presence was getting on his nerves. But now nothing of the sort came out. It might sound funny if she ever talks to anyone about it, but he started to act something like nice to her. But not in the way that Ruby wanted, but rather like an adult who was worried about a child. Exactly this became less and less with time, but it came back with the kidnapping. Now she was again the young skunk, that might also disappear at any time as soon as one left their eyes from her.

She wondered if Eddie had tried to change her mother's mind about this trip. But it shouldn't be important to her now, than she was already at the concert. And she's going to be able not to think of the chaos for one evening. Finally, she demanded the same from her companion. He too was still holding back and almost looked as if he was crying.

Ruby then got to know that it was probably due to the music. Each singer probably had such songs in the pocket. Yes, it wasn't easy to be left behind and beat around with all the emotions alone. Damn, she thought with a trembling mouth. Why did the song have to match her situation so appropriately? It doesn't matter to her that her birthday wasn't celebrated because of the unsightly situation, but to have no one to talk at all, pulls you really down. The sad beat and these song lyrics don't make it any better. Sid handed her a handkerchief that was relatively clean. She just doesn't care at all about anything and accepted it without a word. As she looked down, she saw a lighter on the ground. Some of the others around already held up similar lights and so she did too, while the tears weren't stopping to run down her face.

Maybe she just needed that and everyone else will think she found the music so moving. It was getting darker anyway, so she probably no one saw her. Except the sloth next to her that also cried like a baby and wasn't fast enough to wipe the face dry. She had the apprehension that his outbursts wasn't coming from the music too. Yet she wouldn't exhort him now to pull himself together.

So it took a while for them to calm down. Even as happy songs were sung, their eyes were still wet.

"I'm going to make myself a little fresh." She explained dryly and was about to leave, but Sid held her tightly.

"Wait! I'll come with you." Irritated, she looked at him.

"You know I'm going to the ladies room?"

"Uh, yeah. But let me go to the door with you at least. With the crowd here, you can lose yourself easily." She blinked in surprise, but then nodded, because they could indeed lose each other here. But not like her companion thought. In her opinion, this would get lost, not vice versa.

"So? Do you now want to go to powder your nose or something?" She asked him a bit quipping after she came back to the larger animal.

"Oh, I did that when you were in there. I don't need an extra room." The skunk sighed and hoped, he meant only his face.

"But now we must hurry."

"What? So we get home in time?"

"Oh no. I also have backstage passes with the cards." She heard this for the first time. Or previously it escaped the sloth too. She doesn't reply much, except for a shoulder shrug, and followed the other. Finally, she should be glad that the evening wasn't yet over.

It wasn't long before they both ran behind the stage. Just before, as the show was still running, there were two bulldozers that belonged to the species Rhinoceros. She was sure that if they ran in these two gentlemen, they would surely ignore their passports. Finally, crazy fans near the stars are more work for the security types. Sid was still holding back, but he could really be a pawful in the wrong moments.

"Brooke!" The sloth now roared into the fourth door and she wondered why no one had heard that yet. Probably the other one thought, he immediately found a door with the singer's name. Apparently there was no time for this in the preparations.

"Hello? I really don't want to disturb you, but I am your biggest.." Her companion broke off and dropped the flowers, where Ruby already asked herself where they came from. Curiously, she opened the door completely to see also what made the other speechless.

"Ok, of all things you are expecting in a wardrobe, you certainly don't think of such a thing." Now the skunk also thought a little baffled. The frightened artist hurried to the door to close it.

"You must not tell anyone about it. Please, because when that comes out, I can't go out and sing anymore." The singer with the name Brooke said scared, who was much older than she had been on stage. The youngest in the round thought that the woman was probably older than her mother. She could even be older than Manny. At least she always thought that he had to be the oldest in the crazy gang, with his behavior.

"But how? Why? Where?" Of course, the male sloth doesn't quite understand the situation. Like how, if your favorite musician suddenly could be just as old as your parents.

"Well, a few years ago I wasn't so well known and my manager said that my younger self is selling better. You see for yourself how I look now, and you will turn away from me. Still, I have to ask you not to tell anyone that we are using a hologram out there. If you want money.." But then Sid took not only the word, but also the paws of the older lady.

"We don't want to blackmail you. And I think it shouldn't be about money or age. Your voice and the songs still touch me, the age difference doesn't matter to me. I still admire you and will continue to listen to your music." True, others thought the sloth, which was also talking rubbish right now, mostly for stupid. Yet Ruby also understood why he was a good friend for the others. Nevertheless, he must not have to mention this with the age, because that reminded her of an another animal.

Her songs touch him nevertheless, hm. Surely he just said it so he doesn't hurt Brooke, because that would somehow be heartless and a lousy end of the evening.

The young girl thought that to herself and stood more at the side. Now she shook her head, than she should stop comparing different situations. Still, it wasn't really just the hormones in her youth to blame that she thought and felt like this. If only a few years pass faster, she will soon realize how silly her present behavior is. That was what she was told, and that's exactly why, she probably had to repress her feelings until the day of realization. Surely this will never happen, but perhaps she will get to know someone else who doesn't keep her at a distance.

'Too old.' In her eyes, Eddie wasn't that, but he will not understand and the excuse that they don't have anything in common doesn't really count. She spent most of her teenage days with the opossums, and she refused to believe that she was only an annoying child for them. Weren't they friends?

Ruby sighed and closed her eyes. Of course, she made friends with the two idiots. That she wanted more from one of the brothers was actually not their problem. It also seemed to be pointless to blame yourself. Perhaps that wouldn't have happened if she had behaved a little more normal. Meeting animals in her age and stuff. Yes, maybe she would already be with someone who got more accepted by the environment. Or she could also have heartache of a different kind. The whole 'what if' she should finally banish from her head. Perhaps it was true what religions preach. Everything had some reason.

The skunk girl would like to know what was it in her situation. At first she had to find out how the whole thing should continue to live without the missing animals. This isn't easy and she imagined the new school and life year quite differently. But probably this was a part of the adulthood. Nothing can be planned exactly and things change in the shortest time possible and you didn't always get the guilty one into the paws yourself.

At some point, this evening came to an end and at least Sid seemed a little happier than before. While she was continually hanging in her mind, at least one of them enjoyed the musical spectacle to the fullest. Even if her discovery with the older singer was a bit oblique, the two sloths exchanged their numbers. The artist said the conversation with her companion brought her new courage and confidence. She would like to be happy with more further conversations with him. As the two looked away, Ruby rolled her eyes and marched out. You just can't stand the too sweet talking for long. Outside, of course, it was already pitch dark. Since the disappearance of Shira and Peaches, the nights seemed even darker. But there was still light at the back exit. Even if the lamp flickered a little. She could breathe freely again, because no one else was here and a light wind blew around her nose.

After a few minutes, not only did her supposed guardian take too long for the farewell, but also that you couldn't open the back door from the outside. Oh, great, thought the young woman, who wasn't really fond of running around to go back to the entrance. She'd probably have dragged Sid behind her.

Suddenly she heard a sound. Irritated, she looked around for other animals, which also went out at the back. But the door was still closed and there was no further exit.

"Hello?" She asked herself why her voice was so trembling, because there was really no reason to get scared. Nevertheless, she had to remember right now that someone had already been abducted. Was she the next on the list?

"Oh, what am I doing for a bullshit? I mean, what makes it for a sense to kidnap me? Or more adultnap." Ruby tried to laugh a bit at her own stupid joke, so she was no longer so tense. Why did Sid need an hour for a goodbye? That she got because she left the idiot alone.

"Everything is OK. The extra creepy sounds here come only from the wind." She said to herself and took her cell phone out of her pocket.

"Or from us." She heard a voice close to her and picked up reflexes without her brain understanding who was talking to her.

"Ahh!" She cried, still frightened. But when she saw two well-known opossums, she quickly calmed down again. Well, at least a little, because one of them she just hit to the ground.

"Shit, why are you creeping around here?" The skunk scolded as she bent down to Eddie. The other brother laughed, and was glad he wasn't approaching the girl to frighten her.

"Dude, full in the equipment for family planning." Crash jokingly held his paws in front of his underside, but he was ignored.

"Well at least you can defend yourself." Grunted the one who got hit annoyed out between his teeth.

"I am sorry, but it's also your own fault. What are you two doing here at all?"

"We sneaked here because they didn't want to let us in by the normal entrance." Eddie told about the story without revealing as if they had been waiting all along for the sloth and skunk. But, of course, the other man couldn't remain silent for a long time.

"Yes, we could have pretended to be worried parents, what didn't do, but still got no entry."

"You were worried?" Ruby asked with a voice that made her almost puzzled and more timid. Although the young woman spoke to both opossums, she was only looking at a particular one. Her paws were also lying on the arm of this one because she doesn't let go after the help. Played to be angry, the fixed guy shook off the touch.

"Not really. After all, you are old enough to take care of yourself. We're only here because of Sid."

"Apparently, he's also gone, because I can't see him anywhere. The exit door here is certainly also an entrance."

"Crash, you can see that it can only be opened from inside." The skunk now turned to the other brother, who just fumbled at the keyhole at the back exit.

"Leave it only to me. I already have quite different.." The speaker had to break off, because something came in between. To be exact, it was the door, than it suddenly opened.

"Here you are, Ruby. I've been looking for you in there. Oh, hey Eddie. Are you alone here?" Sid finally managed to get out. Eddie had to laugh now. The opossum behind the door wanted to knock the door back from the rage at the moment, but it missed the sloth because it had already taken the two steps, so the slightly heavier thing fell back into the lock.

"I forgot to say I stepped out here." Said the youngest one and then went to the present victim.

"Are you okay?" She asked compassionately, because that looked very painful.

"Ah, there is Crash. Why are you hiding behind the door?"

"I wasn't hiding there. If I had known that an idiot.. Ouch! Why are you pressing on it?" The last sentence went to the skunk because she looked at the head of the injured brother. Because he was so lamenting and fidgeting, she quickly took him into the sleeper hold, because besides a bump, the opossum also was bleeding. Not much, but if you don't treat it properly, something like that can become infected quickly. And thanks to her mother, Ruby always had a small first aid kit with her. She once joked about the fact that a robber would get more bandage and patches by an attack. However, now she was glad that she had the stuff.

"So that's done. I put a patch on it. Anything else all right? Are you feeling dizzy?"

"Now don't exaggerate it with my brother! He has a hard head, there gets nothing broken so quickly." When Eddie announced it a little louder, he noticed not only that he was almost roaring, but also that his paws had become self-sufficient. Without even thinking about it, he pulled the girl away from his brother, as if he had threatened her. Strange, but as a Crash was pushed to the chest of the skunk, a fuse almost burned in him. She thought nothing of it, with her willingness to help, and was dealing with them both as always. He shook his head, almost disgusted with his own thoughts, and saw that he was still holding Ruby's wrist.

"In addition, there isn't much up there that could be damaged." He added quickly to divert attention from the strange moment.

"Hey, what is that supposed to mean?" The injured man now muttered.

"It was really not my intention to do that Crash. Shall I perhaps go in again to find ice or something?" Sid tried now to apologize.

"No! I mean, you don't necessarily need it. Or?" The young woman intervened as she turned to the badly injured one, than she doesn't want to waste another hour and wait here. On the other side, she had no desire to walk around the building herself again.

"It' all right. Let's just get out of here. At home, I can at least throw myself into my bed, if I still get dizzy." The opossum did as if it would immediately faint. The young woman smiled and held him up.

"Poor you. Unfortunately, I can't stay with you tonight. But what do you think about it when I tell my mother about this here and she's coming over?" Then he is the one who gets a nurse and also his brother has to clean everything. But as he knew Lorene, this scratch wasn't enough for it. On the contrary, afterwards he had to work again to distract himself from the pain on the head. So the possum got on his own feed a little insulted.

"Better not." And finally all four of them marched to the street. The sloth doesn't give much of himself and wasn't looking at them or anything else. It was much too busy to grin and glance at his phone display. The twins just shook their heads and were already a little disappointed when the skunk pulled Sid away from a lantern, so that he doesn't run against it.

The ordered taxi still took his time and now a cool breeze was blowing in the night. What else could be expected from autumn? Ruby was sure that Ellie had been sent the brothers here because the mammoth was still taking care of everything, despite other worries. Her mother must surely once again return to an emergency in the hospital. Or just take care of something for a short time, which in the end always lasted longer. She sighed, than she would really like to do something to cheer up Ellie. But she could never do it well.

When a jacket fell on her shoulders, she came back to the now and here. A little puzzled, she looked at the owner, who by the way stood nearer to her.

"What? You are cold and I'm not. Don't make a big thing out of it." Eddie said cool or it just seemed to her like that, but she was glad for the nice gesture. Actually such things shouldn't happen any more. She wanted to tell him that he had to ignore her more, so she could finally remove those feelings. As she pulled the jacket around her tightly and she smelled the scent a bit, it wasn't looking like a purely friendly act. A moment later she looked at Crash, because he doesn't give his usual comments out and was very quiet. He also seemed to be writing with someone, because he was looking at his phone.

"He has a boyfriend now." Added the opossum beside her with a certain undertone, which she doesn't really understand.

"The guy isn't my boyfriend! Maybe an old friend or school friend. But that's it!" Crash showed that he had very good ears, despite the fact that he stood almost ten steps away and that there were still city sounds in the air.

"You don't have to keep it a secret. He brings you gifts and even helped you in the store." Eddie couldn't stop teasing his brother.

"He helped you in the shop? So how long do you already know him and why didn't you introduce him to me?" The young woman found the facial expression from the opossum with the damaged head too sweet and had to mix into this. Probably the other wasn't even aware of his embarrassment.

"Because it's not like you think, you booger fisher! He just wanted to make it good again that he stalked me and helped me a few times because of the situation. That's what nice animals do. They don't just think of themselves." Ruby suddenly fell silent. Just like the one who was next to her, than that was no longer a laugh worthy. Anger and grief now came out of the other opossum, but that had not been their intention to get out. Without another word, she ran over to the other brother and hugged him. Of course she knew that it wasn't easy for the twins because of their sister and the lost niece. Calmly, she rubbed over Crash's back and looked to Eddie. The skunk took a paw to signal to the other that he should come to her too. It happened, but not without an eye-roll.

"Sid also?" Inquired the sloth, that saw the outbreak also.

"Come here." Said the young woman with a smile. It might have seemed cheesy to others around, but such a hug sometimes caused miracles. If only small one, so that nobody feels left alone with the problems.

* * *

 

"No!" Peaches woke up, breathing heavily as if she had a marathon behind her. Normally she doesn't not come out of breath so quickly, but that changed, like so much lately. She looked down at herself and was glad that she was still wearing this strange but clean suit that doesn't showed any marks or other traces of a fight. Even if she doesn't saw blood when she closed her eyes, it was there. Everything was so real in her dreams but she would never hurt anyone. Not at all on purpose. Yet the stuff she was given made her a beast.

Of course, she doesn't believe a word of the whole when this was said for the first time, but they showed her scenes of things that she couldn't remember. Nevertheless, she was there. No matter how much she was reluctant to acknowledge this as a truth, everything was real. She saw herself, beating her fist against a wall, and she still felt the slightly dull feeling in the hand of this action when she watched the video.

No one got hurt, but now she knew she was really guilty of Shira's condition. Why did she attack animals she knew? No matter how this drug worked, her whole being had to know that it was wrong to attack friends. Nevertheless, it would probably happen again if she left this place too early. Then she could do real damage and even kill someone. She just couldn't risk it.

The female mammoth tried to resist the tears, which wanted to come up by the though not to be able to see her family and friends anymore. First it had to be recognized, why she always got such film fissures and goes into rage. At least she thought so, if she knew the reason that she could control it better. This other self. That which stopped on nothing to destroy. She had never felt so unsafe in her own body. Would it be like this forever? All her life?

Peaches had to get up and needed light and fresh air. The darkness here just let her see these cruel scenes from her head without closing her eyes. She wants to talk to someone. But the one with whom she could always discuss everything shouldn't come near her right now. Although she wasn't a doctor, she knew that the saber's wounds weren't just superficial scratches. What would she do to an animal that had a smaller and weaker body? This nightmare from before, gave her a little glimpse of what might happen. Her body began to tremble uncontrollably, as if it were cold, but what she felt couldn't be combated with the sun, a heater or other sources of heat.

Peaches tried to calm down again. Everything she saw in her sleep wasn't happening and will never happen. As long as she was only attending to this professor or doctor, whose name she had already forgotten. Somehow it was as if her brain had not really picked up since she was here. Time didn't really have any meaning in this place. Was she in this institution for three weeks or three months? She felt a little like a maniac, who was taken to an institution.

Perhaps something was wrong with her, and certain things in her head sprang from her imagination. Even if it were so, her parents would still want to come to visit her. Until now, no one appeared here. Either because this video was shown to the others how she went into rage. Or worse, they all didn't know where they were. She couldn't see Shira yet, but they were allowed to make a phone call. Unfortunately, Peaches was too cowardly to talk to the tiger. She still felt guilty for the friend's injuries.

Nevertheless, she wondered why the saber tooth had to stay here too. Could she, at least, see her friends and family? Finally, she heard that only she came in contact with number 27 or how it was called by that skunk. Because she had no idea of such research, she herself doesn't see any solution to her problem.

"Louis would understand everything a bit better." After the light got on she moved around the room, also realizing that if there was no way out, she could never see her best friend again. Never again just go by and annoy him at unusual times with her problems.

Did she really think so much about herself in the past? The molehog doesn't bother her with anything. She always had to ask. In his work, she was finally able to experience how he enthusiastically talked about things that really inspired him. Even though she felt alone for one year without him, it would never occur to her to bring him from another trip. Peaches thought it was wonderful that he had found a job with archaeology that he could enjoy and develop in it. Perhaps he should look for a woman who was as wise and able to support him with something more.

Suddenly the cold fell a little from her, than her face became a little warm. At the thought of Louis finding another girlfriend, she also thought she was no longer in question. Since when did she see herself as a potential candidate for the molehog? Ruby perhaps came closer in the circle. But not a mammoth that was much heavier and bigger. They were only best friends and they should remain so.

Nevertheless, even here, at this place, she felt warmness around the heart, thinking that Louis had perhaps also considered more. When they both went to school, some rumors made the round that the little one was only with her because he liked her in that way. She never listened to what the others were talking about. Teenagers were plagued with hormones enough, and often invented lies. Peaches would surely have noticed that someone who was so close to her, felt more than just friendship for her.

Again tears rose in her eyes, than she would surely never get answers to the confused stuff in her head. In this state she simply couldn't be seen by her family and friends. Also because she couldn't cope to read in their faces what they thought of her now. But most of all, because she doesn't want to hurt anyone anymore. To remain here and to help these animals on the spot in order to improve her situation was the only way to see the others one day again.

There was a sound on the door, but when she saw who was there, she breathed a little relieved. As much as she wanted to help to get it right with this second self, doesn't mean that she liked everything that happened with her. The delivery of blood and fur samples was the lesser bad.

"Good morning." Julian was always in a good mood with her that she doesn't really dare to scream at him or anything else, still when his mood was sometimes for sure annoying. But she tried to swallow it down, and normally the other one was an amiable mammoth. Only in this situation did she find him more than out of place. When they had met each other outside these walls, he never talked about where he came from. Peaches could now understand why. This here wasn't letting girls hearts beating faster. In the end, the other couldn't really do anything about it from where he came. She learned not to judge something like that. Now that she was in here, it seemed to her somehow a little difficult to find Julian's character believable. If he had ever lived here since he was thinking, then it was a great surprise that he has turned out like that. Polite, approaching, and not a spit of malice in the voice. No matter what they were talking about. Well, strictly speaking, they weren't talking so much.

"Morning." She said with a faint smile when she noticed that he wasn't going to leave. Probably he doesn't just want to bring her food. Surely his boss allowed him to talk to her longer this time.

"No other duties today?" She asked without looking at him. What wasn't difficult with the door anyway. But there was a big window on the other side, through which she could watch everyone. And the other way around. This reminded her again that she had landed in a prison here. Researching back and forth, most other animals certainly had a similar problem and certainly didn't want to be here.

"No. Not really. I have a bit of free time and thought I'll spend it with you. I know it's just not really easy for you. But if there is anything I can.."

"We already had that. You can't help me get out of here and also can't contact my family."

"Yeah, you got that right, girl. That would be fully against the rules." He shook his head. The female mammoth looked more out of the corner of her eye. Mutely, he motioned to her to come closer, then reached out with his arm through the hole of the door. Peaches couldn't react so quickly, as he already pulled at the zipper of the suit, only to then grab her on the chest. Of course, she immediately pushed the hand away and closed the suit again.

"Even if I'm really the only female mammoth here, it doesn't mean you can do with me what you want!" She shouted angrily, but at the same time realized that something was poking in her breast. Julian was already running away with an excuse, because if she made a noise, others would soon appear.

"Everything ok?" Wanted the professor's voice to know a few seconds later and she just nodded because she knew it was on the camera what happened. Certainly the events were already seen from before. So it was pointless to give great speeches about it.

Now she hurriedly got into the shower, because there was the only place with no observer devices. In any case, she was taught this very strongly. She put the shower on and stood so that her front couldn't get wet yet. Now she fetched the disturbing something from her Bh, which was previously put there. Clever, Peaches thought, pulling out a little piece of paper.

'Sent a message to your family. J.' There was no more on the paper. She turned it, but that really seemed to be all. So she let the writing get wet until everything softened and she could rinse it down the drain. At least someone showed a heart here, but still she doesn't know what message came to her family. Did Julian tell them that she was doing well? Or even more? Maybe he was lying in the news, and her parents thought she was dead already? No, then the secret note made no sense, than the doctor certainly wouldn't mind such lines. If no one else were thinking of them, no one could come here to bother this institute. But something forbidden had to leave these walls, which was unacceptable. At least in the eyes of this skunk.

The female mammoth showered a little longer and then dried off in peace. Although everything was finest, she also missed her home. Nothing worked perfectly there, but it was her own four walls. No one was watching her there. Even when Nathan lived with her, she always felt free. She will probably miss that the most in this place.

However, now she could do nothing more than hope that Julian's message really came to her family. She doesn't care how he found out where they lived. She only wanted one to come here to help her out. A simple visit of familiar faces would be enough for her at the moment.


	18. Chapter 18

"Not really conspicuous if we collect one ticket after another here. How many times have you driven over a red traffic light? We're not at the game where you put everything on red!" Diego tried to sound annoyed, but he doesn't really care what penalty points they got here. The main thing is to approach their goal fast, because he already felt a twitch in his paws. While driving, he held back not scratching the dashboard aggressively or other achievable things to test his claws before it went to the real thing.

It had been coincidence and actually he doesn't believe in something like that. Just as little as Manfred and yet it happened that they tracked down remains of Gutts's crew. At least one member they could pack and hopefully throw this unobtrusively in the trunk of this car here. Of course, both of them drove out to a isolated company ground that was rarely used. Except, of course, as a nice environment for questioning, as they both had in mind. The saber tooth was sure that in this place not the first criminal or maybe even the innocent was beaten up for something or worse.

But he couldn't think about that now. Even if it distracts him from being more tense. He wanted to mangle the badger when he recognized him. Maybe his buddy would even let that happen. It was so hard to hold back. And not many words were lost. The name of his tigress was enough to convict this black and white wretch. The guy's eyes spoke of panic and that didn't happen when you mentioned someone you supposedly shouldn't have seen for years. In the group, this badger must have made a better breakthrough, but on his own he seemed pretty cowardly. Probably everything is confessed as soon as they stop and only the trunk rises open. On the other paw, Diego also doesn't hear anything from behind. He hopes their prisoner wasn't taking anything in to be still forever. No, that was too absurd. Although in this situation anything could happen somehow.

Nevertheless, the saber-toothed tiger felt a little relief when they finally arrived at the desired location. After all, he just wanted to 'tickle' the victim with his claws a bit, if the expected answers didn't follow. Although both of them are more than mad at the kidnapping, murder wasn't on their to-do list. Not yet.  
But he wasn't fast enough to ask the questions, as the mammoth ripped the smaller one from behind. This looked a little dazed, but the shaking of his friend quickly brought back the spirits. And then Manny raised his fist.

"Normally you first ask the questions and.."

"This scum knows exactly what we want to know! And if he doesn't give it out fast enough, he'll find out which bone fracture causes the most pain. I'd say we're working our way from down to the bottom up." The biggest animal on the field cracked his knuckles with his fists, trying to accompany his spoken text.

"You don't dare to do that, after all." The badger replied, sounding not really relaxed.

"Do you really want to find out?" Even Diego now showed his sharp claws and pulled a few stripes through the top clothes of the kidnapper. Now they had turned the tables and abducted the accomplice, but the two of them didn't feel at all guilty because they knew it was necessary and they were practically forced to the act.

"It's your choice. Either cuts or fractures. Both certainly don't feel good either. So don't strain our patience any longer and give us the information we want. Where are the two?"

"I don't know." This time the tiger couldn't hold back. Oddly enough, the answer sounded at the same time not like a lie, and yet he wanted to continue scratching the face of his counterpart. His buddy pulled him back after all.

"Couldn't you concentrate so much on the top half by your job?! Like this he couldn't bring a word out!" Diego took a deep breath to step away and get back under control.

"Do you think that bothers me? He is doing it like a kitten. That reminds me, whats the offspring doing?" If this continues, the saber-toothed tiger would think twice about the murder.

"He just wants to provoke you!" Manny intervened and held him back by the shoulder.

"Oh, that young mammoth. She has slowly grown into a real beautiful woman. If Squint had not injected her with this stuff then.."

"The bastard doesn't want it in any different way. A surgeon will not be able to fix that again if I.."

"Wait!" Even though it was difficult to stop a mammoth, the big cat did it somehow.

"You have injected her something?" It darkened the face of Diego, because how bad could the kidnappers still get.

"That's why we no longer know where the two are. The plan went wrong, so I can tell you everything right away." And then the mask came down that the badger actually wanted to hold upright, but slowly some parts were already hurting his body. Besides, he didn't have anything from it if he played the silenced man here forever, because the others wouldn't help him out of it either way. They didn't even know where he was.

Manny and Diego were told about how the current mayor commissioned them to kidnap the two animals and should use them as a tool to prove to all the inhabitants of the city that carnivores are quite bad. He also blabbered about the mishap that the hare was responsible for.

"Ouch, what was that for?! I told you what you wanted to know!" Gupta roared furiously, but also desperately, when he was beaten again after the truth was revealed.

"Those who join in such stupidities must also expect the consequences. So where did they go?"

"I don't know how it works with you, but we all carry no tracking devices. Besides, Squint didn't have the technique either. The guy doesn't even have a simple cell phone, otherwise we would have tracked him down already. The deal was that employers get to see the goods once before paying. Now the whole effort was just for nothing."

"I would like to drive off and haul in our valued mayor. And I'm not really in favor of beating women." The mammoth grumbled and kicked a boulder with his foot so he wouldn't start beating again. Even if he would like to freak out, his daughter and Shira wouldn't bring this back. But there has been good news here. The abducted animals were still alive. At least that badger claimed to have last seen them alive.

"I was thinking the same thing, but it wouldn't take us any further. What should we do to the wretch here?"

"Since we don't need him anymore, we throw him down the bridge." The fidgeted animal fell silent in fear, staring at the biggest one almost pleadingly.

"For such things we have time later, because he can still help us." With that the saber tooth pulled the one in the rope to him, because he couldn't really say what was meant seriously.

"Hey, do you really think I would do something like that?"

"I'll take Sid's part because he's not here. But I saw you pushing someone off the stall at the flea market and knocking them to the ground."

"The guy had see it coming. He watched that I had first discovered the snow globe. Nevertheless, he had also to reach for this one." Gupta rolled his eyes in annoyance, because now he was dragged back to the car. If he had to listen to more such conversations, he almost wished he would fall off the bridge. Eventually he was accustomed to landing in cold water through time with Gutt.

"You could have taken another thing, too." Diego said, this time dragging the badger to the backseat.

"The important thing is that Ellie likes it. And why is the guy sitting in the back now?"

"How else should he say where he last saw Peaches and Shira?" Manfred sighed and reluctantly fastened the third passenger.

"Not that anything happened to you during the drive." He patted the striped man for a moment, as if he were a toddler. He didn't really care if anything was happening to the scumbag, but if he lay on the floor of his car, he couldn't see him in the rearview mirror. And putting Diego next to the guys wasn't a good idea either. Should the criminal again find it funny to talk disparagingly of the saber-toothed tigress, there would be sliced meat and that would ruin the car seats. So he instructed his buddy to sit down in front. He also threw a blanket over the caged man so that other animals wouldn't know that someone was here against his will. To explain their whole story to anyone would be too tedious for them.

For once, they finally got on with finding the missing person. The journey took a while, but he didn't care how often he can't go to work or how many nights he had to go through to get to his destination. He would definitely find his daughter alive again. He just wouldn't be able to bear everything else.

The mammoth swallowed as something from the past wanted to come up. No, he thought, he was already over this. Nothing like that would ever happen again. It just couldn't be that way. If he failed again, as he did back then, he wouldn't be able to handle it. That couldn't be that he could only experience so many happy years with Ellie and Peaches, just to get hurt again now. That's what life brings with it. The excuse that was mostly heard from animals which never lost anyone.

Pull yourself together, he admonished himself inwardly and leaned against the wall for a moment, breathing deeply. Although the mammoth would have liked to spoil this former pirate in this warehouse properly, as this explained that was their previous hiding place with the abductees. He knew that Diego wasn't telling him everything, but the brown-red spots on the floor told him enough already. His nose doesn't work that bad either. So that meant that Peaches and Shira were injured. For that the badger got a black eye. Not on purpose, but in his blind rage and with the thoughts of what his daughter had to suffer here, he just couldn't aim well. Unfortunately, he also made their prisoner unconscious.

"It'll be hard to prove that to our mayor." It came rather monotonously from the saber-toothed tiger, who put the little animal back in the car.

"I'm least interested in that. Since the abductees are no longer here, that means.." Manny ran around with a flashlight all the time from his car, because the time said it was already two o'clock in the morning. His buddy didn't need that. But the reason why he broke off his sentence was the wall with the door he was standing in front of. Both were rather more on the floor and he was sure a door of this material didn't simply bent by mere decay. The bricks looked solid enough to hold the wall for years to come. His buddy didn't have to explain much, so he knew that this destruction happened only recently.

"What happened here?" The big cat threw in the room, because his friend had no answer. Yet he too saw more evidence that his wife was really staying here. Although her smell was clearly in the air right from the start, he now also discovered traces of her fighting. Why didn't Shira use her claws? Couldn't she do it because she didn't want to hurt the attacker? These and other questions crossed his mind.

"Anyway, the two came out of here alive." He stated, trying to follow the trail outside, but it was futile. The rain a few days ago messed up the tour. The increasing cold didn't really help to maintain odors.

"We have at least something." Manny didn't sound quite happy as he stepped back to the car to get the unconscious inside. The saber tooth sighed as it started to get wet. It wouldn't really be worthwhile to search the area more thoroughly. Although he wondered who had previously served with the search groups before, this huge abandoned warehouse was omitted. Maybe the missing would have appeared long ago, if some animals had searched more thoroughly. On the other paw, Gutt's old crew made sure that no one came in or this structure at all too close. No matter why this wasn't reported here, he couldn't blame anyone. After all, it was all about a harmless search. Not to prevail against criminals. He couldn't ask anyone to go into danger because of Shira and Peaches.

"Let's take him to the nearest hospital and then we'll see what to do next."

* * *

 

"Such a stubborn guy." Ellie whispered in her kitchen and put the phone away. Diego and her husband weren't coming back last night. Normally she had no objection to such expeditions, but with these circumstances, the two only caused her grief. Most of all, of course, her mammoth, because he seemed strange since they told him that Peache's disappearance was a kidnapping. A father worries when his own child disappears, but she knew there was something else. Something Manny concealed her and that hurt her a little. They both could tell each other everything, even if it was new information about their daughter. Did her husband want to protect her from the cruel truth that their little girl will never come back? No, she would sooner or later hear something like that. And she had a right to it.

How fast things can change suddenly. She was just thinking about becoming mayor and the next moment, your daughter and best friend disappeared. All the thriller series suddenly went to her head and she didn't want to see any more of it. There were so many possibilities. All this wasn't about money since the beginning, otherwise someone would have contacted them.

"Hey, Aunt Ellie doesn't taste well." But she didn't scold of course, as she spoke to the baby saber tooth, which bit her arm again. Okay, he really didn't use his teeth anymore. He just needed something to chew on because his teeth were growing. Maybe she should ask Lorene if the skunk girl had bite toys as a cub. After all, this breed also uses sharp teeth. She also couldn't remember at the moment if her brothers needed it earlier. This is probably one of the bad things when you grow old. Some things you just forget. But her brain will know what is important and what isn't.

"We go out now. You also need a little fresh air." And maybe the nature hike brought her something. Caring for the child gave her the variety she needed to not go mad with worry. It was not easy to break down with each passing day because she didn't hear anything about the abductees. When her husband was around, she managed to be strong and keep him in a good mood. Or her brothers cared for her, although she didn't want them to overwork.

Crash and Eddie felt the same way she did, only the two expressed it with humor. The two of them were good guys and if all this came to an end no matter which one, she should spend more time with them. Because somehow she had the feeling to miss the life of the two. For example, this raccoon suddenly appeared, that she had never seen before, but Crash said he knows him from school. Strange, because usually she always knew who they were with earlier. Finally, she had to take care of them as a big sister.

She shook her head, because they were grown-up enough to decide who they would meet. She also tried again to fight the tears that always wanted to come up when she was alone. At least almost.

"So where are we going today?" She wiped her face with her handkerchief before running away from her house with the baby in the stroller. Helplessness became more and more prevalent when no one understood her problem. Worse was only if you didn't know who to seek help with. The fresh air will certainly do her good too. Perhaps the path through the nearby park brings new confidence.

But as beautiful as it looked in the autumn, memories of her daughter came up again. Peaches liked to play in this park as a small mammoth and strolled as a teenager every now and then through it, when she met her friends. Maybe her girl wasn't dating someone right now, but somehow she thought her grandchildren might even see this park. Her child wanted her own family for the future and it would be really nice if she could see something of it.

"Let's go to the pond. Maybe we'll see some fish." Ellie knew that the kid didn't really care where to go. He seemed happy to see something other than their house. Although she always got funny looks, but she doesn't care. The same animals stared at her as a child, because her mother was an opossum. Probably now because she was walking with a saber-toothed cub. Sometimes she found the world strange. Does it matter if a child is adopted or not? The main thing is that it gets everything it needs at home. If parents are capable of doing so, it shouldn't matter if everyone in the family belongs to the same race. Or in the circle of friends.

First she felt grief and now anger. But she couldn't use the feeling, so she took a stone and threw it across the pond. However, she underestimated her strength a little because the water spot in the park wasn't very large and so she almost hit a bike from a cyclist on the other side. He saw the stone fly, but Ellie turned quickly to the baby, as he wanted to look in their direction.

"There are probably no fish here." She still said and pushed the stroller on, while she looked over the shoulder again to the other. But the cyclist continued his way to already to her luck. So no throwing stones more today.

Nevertheless, she ran a few laps around the pond, so her little companion got a little tired. But it came to something else, because he started to whine. Either the diaper was full or the tiger got hungry. The baby wasn't stinking, so he wanted a little something in the stomach. Or at least the vial had to be brought out. It didn't help, she had to quickly find a bank for larger animals, because I wasn't easy doing it when standing and running around like that. Because she already knew the place, she found what she wanted, of course.

"So here you have something to drink. But don't tear the tip off again." She said, but still had some as a replacement. She wanted to be prepared for anything with the saber tooth so that he doesn't feel uncomfortable because his parents are absent. Yes, the child got used to it quickly, but it shouldn't be a permanent solution. Unhappily, she wants to tell Diego, that if his fiancee really never returns, he had to think about how to raise the kid without a mother.

"Oh I am sorry. I didn't notice you. The little ball of fur gets impatient soon, if he doesn't immediately..." At first she saw only in the corner of her eye that someone sat on the bench next to her. But when she was sure that the young big cat in front of her in the stroller had the drink firmly in the paws, she turned her head completely in the direction of the animal next to her.

"Hello Mrs. M." Ellie briefly got speechless when she recognized the young molehog. His voice didn't even sound tired but only weak. As if he needed a lot of power to even get words out.

"Louis boy, what are you doing here? You don't look healthy at all." With that, she might still understate this and touched the spiked man's forehead immediately. Normally she didn't do it that easy, but the time they were in changed a lot anyway. Besides, she always treats Peaches best friend like a son she never had. Although his parents took good care of him, she knew that the family was quite large. So some just came too short.

Without first answering, the smaller one on the bench went through the treatment. He wasn't able to defend himself against anything anyway. Not really.

"I.. had to get out." He added then and then looked at the baby. But his head was turned back with one hand.

"But you don't skip work for this?" Ellie was more than grateful that he also was worried and wanted to help. But all this didn't help if another life was ruined. Then her counterpart couldn't look at her properly and withdrew from her touch.

"It's the only thing that distracts me. But my boss said, I should not exaggerate it." That came a bit angry from the mouth of the molehog.

"Everything would be a little to much for me. I should take a vacation to work things out better. No one has it so easy when a beloved animal goes. He said it... as if she wasn't here anymore. How can he just assume.." When the baby saber tooth began to cry, Louis first realized that he had grown louder.

"I'm sorry." But the mammoth mother reassured the child quickly.

"It's alright. He was just surprised." The woman had felt fleetingly the same. Probably because she never saw this side of the prickly one. Or had to see much of it. This got cornered and was with everything at the end. But she didn't give up hope for the disappeared and maybe from the beginning she should have supported the boy more.

"But it's good to hear that at least one person still thinks positively."

"Your husband and Mr. Delsablediente don't really believe that.." She sighed shortly before answering.

"Of course, the two want to continue to believe that everything goes back to normal. But without proof you can't satisfy them. And me.."

"No. You must not start to think like that! I know that Peaches is still alive. I just feel it and.." A little ashamed, he looked to the side and took down his clenched paws again.

"Of course the two are fine. They just are not in town." The bigger animal put a hand on a slender shoulder until she was looked at again. Then she showed an encouraging smile. Although this was only weakly reflected, but better than nothing.

"From now on, we should work together." Heard Louis and wanted to object, but then an envelope was held under his nose. Hurriedly, he took it in his paws when he recognized the names of the missing animals.

"Since when did you do have that?" His heart was beating hard against his chest.

"It was in the mailbox. I didn't dare to open it by myself. But my husband didn't come home this morning." He nodded and took a deep breath. As much as possible, he gathered strength to be a support here. He shivered a little while opening the letter.

"They are both well, but now they are leading lives elsewhere. Please stop searching for them. It has no purpose whatsoever." He read more calmly than thought. Then he did it again.

"Louis, the text doesn't change anymore." Certainly this was stated because he couldn't stop reading what was written.

"Excuse me. It's just... this handwriting." First the mammoth wanted to inquire if someone had come up with a bad trick for them. But after she made sure that the little big cat was satisfied, she looked again at the person she was talking to.

"Have you ever seen it somewhere?"

"Yes. A few years ago, Peaches had a boyfriend who still wrote love letters to her by hand. She showed me one of them because I couldn't believe that someone would do that anymore. Unfortunately, I've never met the writer." At the time, he was occupied with other things than figuring out who his best friend found now hot.

"If I only.."

"That's fine. Both of us are definitely a little further. Without you, I wouldn't even have known that my daughter had received letters by hand. Even though I'm her mother, she's not obliged to talk to me about anything. I'm glad she has you." At that sentence, the molehog stared at the paper, because he didn't deserve such words. A good friend shouldn't find the other animal sexually attractive in some moments. But he tried to shake it off, because finally he got a hint.

"Let's go." The mammoth mother was already pushing the stroller away.

"Ehm..where?"

"To Peache's apartment. Although my daughter doesn't entrust me with such intimate details as you are allowed to hear. But I still got a spare key for emergencies." And the mammoth started encouraged to take the right path. The prickly one knew that just what was said was meant only jokingly. Nevertheless, his cheeks were a little warm, at the thought that Peaches said some things only to him alone. This feeling helped him to regain his strength. So he jumped off the bench and quickly followed the larger animal. And to follow a trail, he still found better than to kill his involuntary holiday alone.

* * *

 

Slowly a saber-toothed tigress had to realize that finding a way out of this prison wasn't so easy. No matter how much she thought about how her former colleagues came in here, she didn't get any good results. The only solution would be for someone to know the building by heart beforehand. But a plan for the walls you can hardly procure so easy or download on the Internet. No, someone from the crew must have been here before. But who?

Even if Shira found out, an escape couldn't succeed faster. More information could always help. She would like to know more about the skunk that played the boss here. But this gave out little next to nothing about himself. Although she met it without the monitor before, but it didn't help her. This professor gave no smell, nor did the behavior of this give anything useful price. Except that his knowledge had already driven him to madness. Yet there were animals here that respected him or were afraid of him. Nevertheless, they all support this 'work' without argument.

That's what the guy called his research, and he also meant that everyone here knew his place. It took a while for her to realize that she, too, had long since become a part of this. She didn't have to choose a job. She was just kept as another experiment.

It took a while for her to realize that. Actually her body would still have to produce mother's milk for her son, but that didn't happen. At first she thought it was because if the injuries she had suffered. But even when she was fully fit, nothing happened. It could also be because her child wasn't around. But medicines were also available for such things and smuggling them into the food would be easy. Still, she couldn't disdain the food, than starving to death in that place would not bother this madman in the smock.

At least she was finally allowed to talk to the young mammoth. The girl blamed herself for her physical condition when they arrived here. But she didn't want to hear about it and tried to make her realize that there was nothing for which an apology would be necessary. Besides, they both have to stick together in here. Peaches nodded and tried to smile, but she saw that time was tugging at the younger one. On the outside, she looked a little more well-trained than usual. Or did the other always have such muscles and you couldn't see it, because of the thick fur? Either it was the light, but it looked trimmed.

She thought it all over, if Manny knew about it, then they could all experience a real wild mammoth here. And all without the drug. As a mother, she would act that way herself, but she felt that her son was fine and hoped that this new instinct that had awakened in her since birth wouldn't deceive her.

She shook it off again, even if she didn't really want to, now the saber-toothed tiger had to think of Peaches and herself. Although an escape from day to day seemed like a dead-end, Shira wasn't allowed to give up. Nobody was perfect. Not even this building here, with its insane host.

Unfortunately, the lives of the employees didn't belong to the list of weaknesses of the skunk. As soon as her claws were ready for action again, she took the chance. But when her sharp weapons stuck to an employee's throat, she realized that it wouldn't bring her anything. She could show that she was capable of killing, but that would be all. They probably would just check the box on 'able to murder' by her file and nothing more. In vain she didn't want to kill anyone, even if it were animals that worked here. They all had a reason to do it, just like them.

Blackmail and other things came to her mind. Although this was true for some, she couldn't ask. She didn't want to make the lives of the other inmates any harder by nagging them with her theories. Besides, she could risk being locked up in her room for a longer time. For some reason, she had managed to make the professor believe that it was safe to let her run free here. At least in a part of this underground labyrinth. A few days ago, she inquired whether she could see a map or something similar from here. A tired bat pointed to it on a wall and flew away without further word. Probably because it just wanted to go to sleep and went through the night before. Or the day. Seeing only old clocks with twelve hours, she never really knew whether it was day or night.

When did she last see a calendar? A week or two ago? Even if she had counted the time from there, she wouldn't be on the same day today, which was actually outside of here, because her sleeping times were sometimes odd. Nothing happened. She still wore those strange clothes when she woke up and her body wasn't hurt. Nevertheless, something gnawed at her, almost like a mosquito. Only a slight feeling on the fur until it stings suddenly and you hit after it.

If Shira was honest, she didn't want to be stung here. Because real insects didn't exist. At least not free-running or alive. She trusted the mad skunk that one of his hobbies was dealing with removing such poor vermin from the sun and then nailing them death to the wall in there. Not that the big cat really wants to know what the guy was doing in his spare time. But when she thought about it, a cold shiver ran down her spine. She already saw scary things in her life. But it's always the uncertainty that keeps your thoughts out of control to give yourself an idea. Perhaps she had lingered too long in this place and was slowly losing her mind.

"S3.."

"Stop it! My name is Shira." The tigress turned to the one who was addressing her. Only to find out that she had shocked the older lynx lady a bit. But she wasn't thinking to apologize. How many times did she have to repeat that she doesn't want to be treated as an object? Even though she didn't like the fact that animals here addressed her by name, as if they had known each other for a long time. But that was much more dear to her, because these code names with these numbers and letters just annoyed her. Not only because she didn't know what they meant. But also because she wanted to cling to as much as possible from the outside. It seemed to her that her younger companion the mammoth and her name was the only thing that reminded her of a previous life. She then again remembered that the woman next to her wanted something from her.

"What should I do this time?"

"It was asked that you go down.." It was again looked at a clipboard. It surprised her a little, because most of them already walked around with the latest technology. You probably shouldn't care about such things, but maybe the small details are important for an escape.

"Oh, exactly. To the laboratory A5."

"Can you tell me what to do there?" Finally, she was never allowed to use the stairs or the elevator up or down. Just getting permission, as if bringing a coffee or something, seemed suspicious. Especially since she was stunned on the last try, because she was standing only near the stairs. Although the professor said that one of his interns was a bit overzealous, she still had to stay away from it.

"Only this was communicated to me. You're probably ready to see more." Great, Shira thought. Finally she got a tour through the still spooky cellar. As if she wasn't already walking in the underground, she was allowed to descend a little further. Nobody but the cameras noticed her as she walked to the stairs. First she thought about informing Peaches. But it certainly took more time for the girl to get permission to spend time with her. She sighed, it didn't really help her that the younger one had a like-minded person to talk to. Julian came over so innocently and then she overheard some coworkers, as they said that the guy would touch her friend against her will. Unfortunately, the male mammoth no longer came close after hearing this. Otherwise, she would have rebelled again here. She didn't care what the professor thought about this thing, she wouldn't let that happen. Although Peaches assured her that it was just a misunderstanding, the girl wasn't hearing how the landlord talked about this either. Although she didn't believe that the guy wanted to bring the two together romantically, but something was definitely planned in this direction. That Julian thought he was the madman's son, she found strange enough. Of course, she doesn't object to adoptions, but here it seemed more like the skunk had accidentally gotten a mammoth baby in the paws to do experiments on it.

The changing lighting brought her back into reality. Finally she came to the end of the stairs. Everything seemed calmer. There were hardly any other voices from the staff in the background. But other sounds came to her ears the more steps she walked down this corridor. Machinery. Only what they were, was for the time being denied. The saber-toothed tiger didn't even have to test whether the doors she passed were closed. She wasn't allowed to move more freely than wanted. That's why she decided to go where she was ordered to. At least for now she wanted to have something obedient, otherwise this is certainly her last excursion here.

"Come in." Of course the skunk watched her again. She only heard the voice through a loudspeaker and the door opened automatically. Of course, it closed itself after her entrance and she realized too late that she couldn't opened it again because there was nothing on the inside of the door. Nevertheless, she remained calm, because it was more important to look ahead.

"Good day. How can I help you?" She almost didn't notice anyone else was sneaking around here. But the animal wasn't behaving silently when it approached with a tray and water. She was supposed to take a glass, but the shock stopped her, because she had not seen the other creature since they arrived here.

"There you see Shira, everyone gets a job here. And after the good Squint finished his punishment well, he decided to help out in the lab." She heard the professor again and could hardly take her eyes off the hare. No matter who this was, the insane criminal from before certainly not. The expression blank with a forced light smile to look friendlier. Rather with terror than with thirst, Shira grabbed a glass of water and immediately swallowed everything. Her throat suddenly became so dry from this sight. As if the former pirate had always been a butler, he carefully brought everything back to the place as soon as he realized that she wouldn't ask any further. She barely believed it herself, but something like compassion for the long ear just came up, because you didn't have to be a genius to realize that something was being done to him. She probably doesn't want to know any details about that. But the lousy skunk wouldn't just let her come here, so she could see her old colleague again.

"I hope everything is prepared, because we are reluctant to let a lady wait." The body of Squint immediately started moving again.

"Of course." Some buttons on a machine were pressed. Only now did the big cat notice all the other stuff in the room. Samples and other things in glasses were on a wall. She didn't want to see much of it. Thus, she quickly turned her head back to the thing that was pressed. The hare lingered in front of a switchboard and next to it clamped, stood a large metal box. A screen on it showed data that wasn't telling her anything. A faint hiss sounded and the box opened. A water tank was revealed to her. Anyway, it looked like the animal in the tank was sleeping in this liquid. Another unintentional surprise made her ignore the man muttering something over the loudspeaker. She just stared blankly at the picture in front of her.

"What is he doing here?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story will never end XD ... *sigh* ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


End file.
